The Vampire and the Virgin
by Rogue-Phoenix-San
Summary: A hike in the mountains brings about a life-changing encounter. Yuuri finds a secret Gothic era mansion in the middle of the woods next to a gorgeous reflective lake. His discovery will bring him face to face with its mysterious owner; 'V'. Yuuri will learn very quickly that 'V' not only has an amazing home, but is very...VERY thirsty (in more ways than one).
1. Chapter 1

Yuuri Katsuki was over the moon. After years of planning, filling out applications, countless fees and bureaucracy, he'd finally made it to St. Petersburg. He'd managed to get accepted at the prestigious St. Petersburg State University's department of Architecture and Civil Engineering as an exchange student. He'd already completed two years of the program at Kyushu University back in Japan and was very much looking forward to the next three years studying and working in the foreign land.

Earlier in the day, a student services representative had picked him up from the airport and driven him to the campus. Even though he was utterly exhausted from his 15-hour flight, he forced himself to stay awake during the car ride. His eyes greedily took in as much as they could from the moving vehicle, and he snapped some quick photos with his phone whenever they were stopped at a traffic light. He was absolutely brimming with excitement and delighted by the prospect of all the amazing architecture there just waiting for him. His area of interest was historical restoration and he had lined up a paid internship with a local architects office that specialized in exactly that. All in all, Yuuri was about to live the dream of a lifetime.

Sometime later, they finally arrived on campus and the bubbly redhead driver parked in the dorm parking lot and popped the trunk. She assisted him with his luggage and the two of them went into building C and took the elevator to the eighth floor.

"Your roommate is called Phichit and he's from Thailand. He's super friendly and an all-around really nice guy."

Yuuri was immediately relieved. He had been stressing out a bit over who he was going to end up rooming with. While studying at Kyushu University he'd had the same Japanese roommate for both years. They hadn't been very social or overly friendly with one another, they had simply co-existed peacefully in the same space. He had friends who hadn't been so lucky and had ended up with either slobs or completely inconsiderate roommates. He was really looking forward to living in Russia, and didn't want things to start off on the wrong foot with a lousy roommate. The young lady reached into her jacket pocket, took out a business card and handed it to him.

"This is the student services office contact information. If you have any questions, concerns or any problems with the property, please call this number. It's a 24-hour hotline, so someone will always be available to answer your call. The dormitory rules are printed out and posted in your room. Please make sure you follow them. Violations are treated very seriously."

Yuuri listened carefully as the Russian woman spoke. He'd studied English back in Japan and felt sufficiently proficient at it, but her thick Russian accent was making it bit difficult for his sleep-addled brain to process. He simply nodded at all the right times and would deal with it all later when he could actually think. If he had any questions, he'd just ask his new roommate later.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Mila."

She smiled winningly at him and then proceeded to knock on the door. Not even a second later, the door flew open and a very excitable and darker-skinned young man now stood in the doorway.

"Hi! My name's Phichit! Your name is Yuuri, right? I'm from Thailand, and you're from Japan. We're both from Asia, what a coincidence! Do you like hamsters? I hope you like hamsters. I have hamsters and they are my precious furbabies. If you don't like hamsters, I don't think I'll be able to respect you in the morning. What's your…"

The young Russian woman held up her hand as she fought to suppress a fit of giggles.

"Phichit, slow down! Yuuri flew in not even an hour ago and is probably falling asleep on his feet. How about you actually let him into the apartment first?"

The one called Phichit looked a bit sheepish as he took in the tired visage and dark under-eye circles of the Japanese man standing in front of him.

"Ah! I'm so sorry! Yes, of course…please come in!"

"Take care, Yuuri, and get some rest. Phichit, show Yuuri the ropes, OK?"

"Yes Mila, I will!"

Phichit helped Yuuri bring his luggage into the apartment and then gave him a quick tour of the place. Yuuri took in the small room he'd be calling home for the next three years and was very pleased. There was a desk and comfortable-looking chair by the window and a twin mattress bed in the corner. He pushed aside the navy blue drapes and saw that his window had a decent view of the communal dorm park. He opened the closet and was quite satisfied with the available space. This room was a veritable mansion compared to the little sardine can he lived in back in Japan.

"I put some fresh sheets on the bed just this morning, Yuuri. I figured you'd be really tired and not want to be rummaging through your luggage to find your bedsheets. You can just wash them and return to me when you're ready to switch them out."

Yuuri was touched. That was a really considerate and thoughtful act from a person who hadn't even met him at the time he'd done it.

"Thank you, you have no idea how much of a nice gesture that really is. I'm totally dead on my feet right now."

"Why don't you go take a shower, Yuuri? Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich."

Yuuri opened his mouth to answer and his stomach beat him to the punch. Phichit laughed as he heard the rather emphatic answer.

"You're hungry, gotcha. Are you a vegetarian or have any other fancy dietary needs?"

Yuuri shook his head.

"No, anything is fine really."

"Great! Now shoo. Go take a shower. I'm sure you're a nice guy and all, but you kinda stink."

Yuuri sniffed at himself and wrinkled his nose. His face colored with embarrassment and he mumbled a few rapid-fire apologies before scurrying off to his new room to dig for his toiletries.

One amazing hot shower later, a freshly cleaned Yuuri stepped out into the kitchen to a piping hot grilled cheese sandwich and some strange looking chunky soup in a bowl with a dollop of cream in the middle. Yuuri eyed it quizzically. He'd though the soup was made of tomatoes at first, but upon closer inspection, he realized that they weren't tomatoes at all.

"What's…that?"

"I thought I'd give you a taste of Russia on your first day. That's borscht and it's deliciously hearty beet soup. It's got cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes and pork."

Yuuri sniffed at the soup taking in its delectable aroma. His stomach growled again, seemingly upset that it still hadn't been placated by all the food before it.

"Wow, it smells and looks amazing! Did you make you this?"

"Pffffffttt! Me? Cook?!"

Phichit wrapped both arms around his mid-section and doubled over with laughter. Once he'd finally recovered, he straightened back up and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Sorry, what I meant to say was no…I didn't make it. I always buy my borscht from this stony-faced Babushka at the street market not far from here."

"Babushka? Is that the name of the store?"

"Oh, sorry about that! I forgot that you're not familiar with the common words yet. A Babushka is a Russian granny. I always buy from her. She doesn't speak a lick of English but her borscht game is tight."

Yuuri scooped up a mouthful of soup in the spoon, making sure to get a little bit of everything. When he put it in his mouth, there was an explosion of flavor. He chewed carefully, trying to discern the different spices and seasonings.

"Wow, it's amazing! What's the cream stuff? Is it yogurt?"

"It's sour cream. In Russia, they LIVE for the stuff. It's called 'smetana', and you will see it everywhere. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the word right away. Dip the sandwich in the soup, they taste absolutely incredible together."

Yuuri did as Phichit suggested and was blown away by how good the combination of flavors was.

"Oh my God, this is the most amazing thing I've tasted in ages! I'msolooking forward to trying all sorts of Russian dishes!"

"Well, you're in luck, my friend. I absolutely live off take-out and delivery, so I knowallthe best places for food. I'll take you on a food tour as soon as you're not so jetlagged and nearly falling asleep in your bowl of soup."

Yuuri laughed weakly as his exhaustion and hunger duked it out inside him. As tired as he was, he persevered and still managed to finish the meal, just barely. Pichit helped him get up from the chair and gently pushed him toward his room. He pulled the sheets back and helped Yuuri get into bed.

"Are you always this useless after you travel?"

Yuuri's eyes felt as if he had an elephant sitting on each one, but he managed to keep them open for split-second longer to answer him.

"Yes."

"Good to know!"

Then Yuuri passed out.

Yuuri's first month in Russia flew by at breakneck speed. He was feeling rather glad that he'd decided to move to Russia a solid month before the semester started. It gave him extra time to get used to everything and become familiarized with his new surroundings. Phichit turned out to be a better roommate than he could have ever hoped for. The two of them got along wonderfully and were bona fide BFFs before the first week was over. Thanks to Phichit, Yuuri had gotten to know every single food stall, establishment, nook and cranny in their neighborhood. He had cooking skills and enjoyed cooking for himself from time to time, but was having too much trying everything Mother Russia had to offer.

The two of them had gotten all their books and materials in order for the upcoming semester and had even attended orientation. Phichit was in the Biological Sciences program and dreamed of graduating into a job in animal husbandry. More specifically, a job involving small and adorable rodents. Phichit's hamster brood had taken to Yuuri like a second parent, and the young Thai man had been absolutely delighted. The previous roommate hadn't shown much interest in them and it had apparently pained him greatly. Phichit thought the world of his little fluffy rodents and truly appreciated that Yuuri was humoring him.

Yuuri had gone absolutely full hog on his photography and filled an entire 512 GB memory card in a ridiculously short period of time. He was taking so many pictures in rapid succession that he honestly felt as if he was suffering from whiplash. There were just so many beautiful and historic buildings in town that there didn't seem to be enough hours in a day to capture them all. Even after the semester started and he began to get swamped with assignments and tests, he always managed to find the time to squeeze in some serious sessions.

One Saturday ridiculously early morning in late fall, he stuffed a backpack full with his photography equipment, meals, water and snacks. He'd planned a day hike to Lake Shchuch'ye in the Komarovo area and couldn't wait to get going. When he'd been searching for a new place to explore, he'd scoured the net for information and recommendations. That's how he'd come across that particular area. He had also found a lot of rumors about a secret hidden mansion in the area of thick forest surrounding the lake. The whole story was filled with mystery and inexplicable occurrences. The house had apparently been first spotted by a young couple that had wandered off the trail and gotten lost. They'd both eventually managed to get back into town and tell their family members about what they'd seen before dying mysteriously, hours apart, of idiopathic anemia the next day. That had really sold it for him.

Yuuri was a total sucker for a good supernatural mystery, and there were often quite a lot of them in the field of architectural restoration. Unsurprisingly, many of the old castles, manors, churches and mansions came with ghosts or haunting apparitions of sorts. He hungrily devoured any such accounts as soon as he was able to get his hands on them. So, the possibility of running into an abandoned piece of ancient architecture, lost to time in a Russian forest, had been just too much for him to resist. So he'd given into the temptation and had decided to go for it. He'd asked Phichit to go with him, but the young Thai man didn't seem very interested in outdoorsy type activities and had politely turned him down. He grabbed his gear and headed out to the dorm parking lot, coming to a stop just before his beat-up, second-hand pride and joy.

He'd managed to buy the motorbike off another student who was on his way out of the country. The student had been a bit pressed for time and desperate to get rid of the bike, so he'd gotten a pretty good deal on it. He'd immediately taken it to get maintenance checked at a reputable shop and had been relieved to be told that it was in tip-top condition. Yuuri liked having the freedom to go anywhere he wanted, whenever he wanted, and so a motorbike had been the perfect solution in a country where he didn't really know the language. Public transportation and trying to get directions would be a bit of a nightmare. As long as he had a bike, he could use his GPS and international license to do the rest.

Less than an hour on the 3CД highway later, Yuuri was parking his bike at the base of the hiking trail. He locked up both tires and his helmet, and double checked everything before setting off. He'd loved nature since a child and had always been an active hiker. He'd summited Mt. Fuji the summer after he graduated from high school and was looking forward to experiencing the various trails and peaks in Russia. He hiked for hours, taking the time to stop and take lots of pictures along the way. It was really a very scenic area and Yuuri was rather enjoying all the fresh air around him. He made it to the lake around noon and picked a nice spot on one of the surrounding hills to have his lunch. The lake was quite large and he was feeling compelled to hike the full circumference. He had originally planned on keeping his excursion at a day hike, but had brought his one-man tent and sleeping bag just in case. So he wasn't in a rush to leave or anything. He'd learned from previous experiences that it was better to be prepared than to caught unawares.

He managed to hike half of the total circumference of the lake before sunset, making it all the way to the western lobe. The lake was shaped like one of those fidget spinners that were all the rage a few years back, with one long lobe that pointed toward the west and two shorter and wider lobes that branched out toward the north and south. After taking another break to take more pictures and drink some water, he decided to push on and try to get some more ground covered before calling it a day and trying to find a place to make camp. As he started walking again, this really strange tingly feeling came over him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. He looked around nervously, fearing that he had perhaps attracted the attention of a predator of sorts. He took out his binoculars and surveyed the area carefully, but did not find any immediate threats. He tried to shake off the strange feeling and carried on hiking.

When he got to the point where he'd have to turn back down south to finish the loop around the lake, he was suddenly overcome with a nearly irresistible desire to go further west instead. It was irrational, it was totally not part of his plan, but his feet started moving in that direction anyway. He tried telling himself to turn back around and head back the right way, but his feet seemed to have a mind of their own and kept him headed stubbornly in the same direction. On and on he walked, unable to stop himself from even taking a single step. The sun sank down beyond the horizon, and still Yuuri walked on. He reached into his backpack and took out his flashlight and drank more water as he trudged on. It was pitch dark and getting quite late, yet his possessed feet continued to carry him forward. He checked Google maps and saw that the little blue dot had moved a lot closer to another lake. It was much smaller than Lake Shchuch'ye and shaped like a crooked little chicken drumstick. Thinking about drumsticks made him suddenlyreallyhungry. He was starting to feel quite exhausted and just really wanted to benotwalking. His mind drifted off as his feet carried forward on autopilot. He really just wanted to heat up some water over a fire and have himself a bucket bath before eating his dinner and passing out for the night. But his cursed feet refused to release him. At least he thankfully did not have to worry about navigation as his feet took him on a very clear path, one that avoided dangerous obstacles and other pitfalls.

About an hour later and nearing the point of collapse, the forest came to an abrupt end and he found himself standing in front of Lake Druzhinnoye. As tired as he was, he couldn't help but gasp in wonder as the sight of the new moon reflecting off the surface of the calm water, its image nearly encompassing the full width of the lake. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed a large structure off in the distance. He couldn't see all the details in the dark, but he could tell that there was a light on, and that told him that it contained human life. He sighed with great relief, suddenly feeling rather glad that his feet weren't just mindlessly walking him to his doom. He got his second wind, and picked up the pace as he hastened to get the structure. He hoped that there was at least furniture in this place out in the middle of nowhere. He really just wanted to sit down.

As he got closer to the structure he saw that it was actually a magnificent Gothic era mansion. His eyes filled with tears of joy and he nearly died of happiness on the spot. He didn't have much time to enjoy the exterior of the house though, as his feet continued marching him forward. He realized at the last possible second that he was not slowing down and was able to reach forward and open the front door just before he crashed into it. If he had been expecting to stop walking once he'd gotten into the house, he was sorely mistaken. He carried on walking and all his Japanese sensibilities were screaming at him for entering someone's fancy clean house with his shoes still on.

Once he got over the mortification of waltzing in uninvited into a stranger's house, he actually started lamenting that his feetstilldidn't slow down and let him fully take in his surroundings. The house was packed to the brim with period furnishings and décor, and he wanted to look ateverything. He continued being led through the spacious house, drinking in as much as he could with his eyes while desperately trying to keep himself from squealing with girlish glee. He finally came to a stop at an ornate door with a note pinned to it.

Dear esteemed guest,

Welcome to Moon Lake Manor. You must be quite tired after your long journey! Please relax and enjoy this hot bath that has been prepared for you. Once you are ready, please come to the dining room to enjoy a hot meal.

V.

Yuuri was puzzled, intrigued, excited and scared all at the same time. The house had a name, such a romantic one too! After what he'd seen outside, it made perfect sense that it was called Moon Lake Manor. He knew that there was at least one person currently in the house…someone whose name started with a 'V'. He pushed the door open and nearly fainted at the sight before him. The floor was wall-to-wall Salome Turkish marble and the walls were purple and grey slate rock. Slim arches had been carved out into the rock at the furthest wall in the room, and a large oval bathtub was embedded in the floor. There was a tall candle in each arch and the flickering light cast beautiful dancing shadows around the room. He dropped his backpack on the ground and ran up to the granite sink, running his hands along its smooth surface. The room had been fitted with modern plumbing, but everything else looked like it was straight out of a bygone era. Yuuri ran over to the arches and looked closely at the workmanship. He marveled at all the attention paid to detail and sighed dreamily as he examined all the nuances of the stone. From what he'd seen so far, the home was very well-taken care of and immaculately preserved. He looked down and saw tub with its glistening layer of foam and suddenly could notwaitto get in. He stripped off all his sweaty clothes and rinsed his body off at the shower in the corner. He pumped some liquid body wash onto his hand and noticed that it was completely unscented.That's a bit strange. Most people like scented things in their bathroom.He washed his hair with shampoo that was also unscented and then climbed into the bath, also unscented.Wow, the person who lives here must really dislike scented things.

Yuuri sat down on the edge of the tub and lowered his legs into the bubbly water. It was a bit hotter than how he usually took his baths, but the water at his family's onsen back in Japan was always quite hot, so it didn't bother him too much. He sank down the rest of the way and moaned gratefully as the hot water got to work on his sore muscles. He leaned back on the cushioned backrest and just allowed himself to relax. At some point, he must have dozed off, for he woke up trembling a while later in a tub full of cold water. He quickly reached down and pulled out the plug to drain the tub. He got out of the tub and went back to the shower to rinse off and warm up a bit under some hot water. He dried himself off and put on the clean jogging pants and t-shirt he had brought with him to sleep in that night. He balled up all his dirty clothes and placed them in a plastic bag that he had brought with him, and then stuffed it into his backpack before slipping it on. He saw a pair of slippers inside the bathroom and put them on. He picked up his hiking boots and carried them out with him. He didn't want to track any more muck through the house, but didn't want to just leave them in the nice bathroom either. When he stepped out of the bathroom, he looked around but did see or hear anyone nearby.

"Hello? Mr. or Mrs. 'V'? I'm done with the bath. Sorry I took so long, I fell asleep."

A sudden chill ripped through the air and Yuuri's feet began moving him down the hall to his right. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders in surrender. He still had no idea how his feet had managed to develop their own GPS navigation system since lunch, but the fact of the matter was that it was absolutely pointless to try and resist them once they got started moving. He was walking through a different part of the house now, one that he hadn't seen on his way in, and he gaped and gawped at all the paintings on the wall. They were all of scenery and featured some famous landmarks from around the world, often depicted as they would have looked like without the wear and tear of time. He found it a bit strange that there seemed to be a complete lack of portraits of people. And as beautiful as it was, the house felt a bit empty and cold without any faces.

He smelled the dining room before he saw it, his traitorous stomach seemingly waking up from its slumber and coming alive at the promise of food. He rounded the corner and walked into the most gorgeous dining room he'd ever seen. The floors were a rich mahogany wood and the walls were all wooden panelling, with complex designs carved into them. The wallpaper was a deep burgundy color with minimalistic golden accents and really brought out a rich overall blood-red hue in the room. The ceiling had exposed wooden support beams and there were more of the slim and elegant arch designs at the windows. Velvet tapestries of deep eggplant had been pulled back and held together by violet velvet tassels. Hunger temporarily forgotten, Yuuri ached to just run over there and run his hands along the creamy texture of the fabric. He managed to tear his eyes away from the tapestry and examined the dining table and chairs. The table looked heavy and sturdy, and Yuuri knew immediately that it was made of oak wood. The chairs appeared to be made from the same wood, and had seat cushions in a color that matched the wallpaper. He saw another note on the table and picked it up.

Dear Esteemed Guest,

Please enjoy this meal that has been lovingly prepared for you. The starter is a rich wild spinach soup, and the main course consists of venison, caught just this afternoon. Its liver has been pan fried separately in red wine. The assorted vegetables are assorted leafy greens and accompanied by green beans. Before sitting down to enjoy your meal, please place your shoes and luggage just outside the dining room door. They will be taken up to your room while you eat. Bon appetit!

V.

Yuuri's heart raced wildly in his chest. He was really excited to have found his way into this house of timeless treasures and to be welcomed so cordially, but a tiny little niggling feeling had begun to take hold in the back of his head. It was trying to tell him that things were starting to get a little bit too good to be true. A hot bath, now a hot meal and a room to spend the night in…all from a host he hadn't even seen or met yet. Normally, this kind of situation would have him running for the hills, but he was dying to take a closer look at the house and wanted to have his eyes, and potentially his hands, over every single inch of it. So, he pushed those thoughts out of his mind for the time being and avowed to just deal with them later.

He sat down at the dinner table and pushed his chair forward before lifting the domed lid currently covering his meal. As he did so, all of the amazingly succulent aromas hit his nose at the same time and he just about drooled all over himself. He immediately went for the soup, forcing himself to blow on it before greedily slurping it down. The flavor of the wild spinach was exquisite, much bolder than the farmed variety. Once the soup was done, he set the empty bowl aside and reached for the main dish. He tried the liver first, nearly sobbing with bliss as it readily melted on his tongue. Next was the venison and it was cooked to perfection. He hardly had to apply any pressure with the knife before the tender meat gave way and nearly disintegrated on his plate. He savored each morsel leisurely, allowing the slightly gamey flavor of the meat to fill his whole mouth. He ate some of the greens and beans in between bites of the meat and all the flavors complimented each other beautifully. He downed the red wine from the beautifully elegant cast iron goblet it was contained in, taking the time to swirl the burgundy liquid around and appreciate its heft. Fully sated, contented and a little bit drowsy, Yuuri stood up from the table and pushed his chair back in. He walked back out to the dining room entrance and saw that his shoes and backpack were gone. He was impressed. Whoever had come to take them had been very quiet about it. He hadn't heard a single thing.

As soon as he stepped out into the hallway, his feet started moving him down a narrow hallway. When he turned the corner, he actuallydidsqueal with girlish glee at the sight of the marbled floor foyer and grand staircase. The staircase had wide stone steps, and bannisters also made of carved stone. The room was large and there were marble pillars topped with stone archways. As he climbed up the steps, he ran his hands along the stone façade, feeling shivers run down his spine at the flawlessly smooth coldness of it. He continued climbing, enjoying the higher view of the foyer below, until he reached the top of the stairs. His feet took him to the left this time, and he walked about two meters before he spotted the only open room in the hall. As he walked up to the doorway, his heart nearly stopped in his chest.

The centerpiece of the room was an extremely large four poster bed, surrounded by translucent two-tone black brocade drapes that hung from the ceiling right down to the floor. He immediately abandoned every sense of civility and rushed into the room, fangirling at the impeccable walnut frame of the bed and the thorny roses carved into the headboard. He ran his palms along the red silk sheets, trembling at their surreal softness and admiring their reflective sheen. He was suddenly feeling very excited to be sleeping in such an opulent room. He walked around the room, inspecting its other decorative elements as well as the lavish tapestries. How had he not heard of this amazing treasure before? He had absolutely researched St. Petersburg till he knew it inside and out. He knew about every single mansion, manor, church, home, historical edifice in town and surrounding area. This Gothic era mansion had not shown up on any of his searches.

He noticed that even though the house seemed to have been fitted with modern lighting fixtures, the owner…the mysterious 'V', seemed to prefer candles and lanterns. Yuuri didn't mind, they actually added to atmosphere and went much better with the décor. His respect for the home owner had grown by leaps and bounds after each room he'd seen. No person who owned such a home, and clearly maintained it so lovingly, could possibly be a horrible person. He saw his backpack on one of the chairs and his hiking boots directly under it. He pulled back the sheets and crawled into the bed, laying spread-eagle on it. It was so large that he could practically swim in it. He lay awake in the bed, feeling obviously exhausted from all the hiking he'd done, but his brain refused to shut down and kept needling him about all the other things there were to see in the house. He tossed and turned for what felt like an eternity before finally giving up and giving into his curiosity. He grabbed a lantern and tiptoed slowly out of the room, happy that his feet seemed at least seemed to be back under his own control. Once he reached the doorway, he turned left and decided to walk past the staircase he'd come up on earlier. When he reached the end of the hallway, he came to another T-junction. He turned left again, feeling inexplicably drawn to something at the end of that hall. He walked toward the lone door at the end of the hallway, ignoring all other doors along the way.

When he got to the door, he tentatively reached for the heavyset brass knob, pausing to admire the gargoyle head carved into it. When he turned the knob, he was actually surprised to discover that it was unlocked. He slowly pushed the heavy oak door forward, leaning into it with his right shoulder as he held the lantern with the left. The room was…bizarre to say the least. Compared to the other rooms he'd seen so far, it was incredibly sparse. There was a solitary desk, one chair and a small bookcase. He walked deeper into the room, moving his arm in an arc as he illuminated the other elements in the room.

A torn portrait on the wall at the far end immediately caught his attention and he approached it cautiously. He brought the lantern up higher and came face to face with a full length portrait of what appeared to be a man. He could see that he was dressed in gothic era clothing; a stunning ruby-red velvet coat over a coal-black ruffled blouse. The man in the painting was wearing black pants and black shoes, and Yuri could tell that they were splendidly custom-tailored to the man in the portrait. The part of the canvas the head had been painted on was torn in various strips, as if some wild animal had clawed at it. As he leaned in closer, he noticed that the man in the painting had long silver hair that had been tied back in a loose ponytail at the base of his neck with a black ribbon. Yuuri's body was brimming with both fear and excitement, and small beads of sweat had started forming on his brow.

He reached out with trembling fingers and grabbed hold of one of the shredded strips of canvas, pulling it up to its matching place on the painting. He gasped as he stared into the most stunningly sapphire-blue eyes he'deverseen. The man in the painting looked the very picture of a high-standing noble. His pale skin was perfectly captured in the painting, and it gleamed in the flickering candle light. So engrossed was Yuuri by the painting that he didn't even notice the sudden second presence in the room with him. The sound of the heavy door closing behind him abruptly filled the room, and Yuri spun around, startled. A pair of predatory red eyes was the last thing he saw before his mind went blank.

The alabaster-skinned creature of the night stalked elegantly into the room, grinning with overwhelming satisfaction as he slowly approached his paralyzed prey. He'd been waiting patiently all afternoon for this, and was relishing the moment. He lifted his nose into the air and breathed in the young man's intoxicatingly delectable scent, growling deep in the back of his throat as it filled his brain. It had been that very scent that had caught his attention earlier while he'd been out on a hunt. It had called out to him and had drawn him to the young man like a moth to a flame. The young man was alone, a misfortune for him, but a fortuitous situation for himself. He'd followed the young man through the mountains for a while, and had scrutinized every aspect of his person. The young man was a rather attractive male specimen, clearly not a local. He'd seen others like him before, back when he'd traveled through Asia a century or two ago. His prey was healthy and fit, brimming with energy and vitality. He'd practically drooled all over himself at the prospect of tasting such an enticing morsel. Even though the young man was covered in sweat, his sweet scent still permeated the air. He decided that he would bring the young man to his home and feed on him for the next couple of days, perhaps longer if he could get away with it.

The young man at one point had stopped, seemingly aware that he was being hunted. As he had surveyed the area with binoculars, the crucial split-second of eye contact was made and he was able to compel him to start walking in the direction of his house. He'd then immediately gone about busying himself gathering the ingredients for a rich meal to battle the anemia he'd soon be afflicted with. The abundant iron and vitamin B12 in the deer liver, red meat, spinach and beans would boost his body's ability to heal itself. It had been a long time since he'd been presented with such a delicious opportunity. The meals the young man before him would provide were worth 'wining and dining' for.

So he'd taken the ingredients home and prepared them in the ways he knew humans preferred. He had no need for human food, as his sustenance came from blood. He had learned a long while ago that certain 'human skills' were required in order to blend in seamlessly with other humans. He'd learned them as a means of drawing less attention to himself. He had cooked the food, and seasoned it with a mix of spices that were safe to him. He also didn't want any strong flavors interfering with the taste of the young man's blood later on. He'd drawn the bath in excited anticipation at just how much better the man would smell once he'd had all the sweat and grime washed away. The hardest part had been trying to gauge how hot the water was. Everything felt hot to his cold skin and he didn't want to boil his dinner before he could eat it.

When his quarry had crossed the threshold into his home, his entire body had thrummed with the thrill of his presence. He'd watched silently from a distance as the man had gaped at the house in awe. Whoever he was, he seemed cultured and very appreciative of his impeccable taste in furnishings. He'd stood outside the door while the man had bathed, feeling a bit of trepidation when his breathing and heart rate had slowed. He had contemplated bursting in there to see just what was going on, but had deduced that the man had just fallen asleep. He'd forgotten that humans tired easily and did not have endless stamina. He hadn't been human in so long that it had simply slipped his mind. Thinking back on things, he had made the young man walk quite a long distance without adequate rest.

Once the young man had come out of the bath, he had directed him to the dining room. He had watched on with curiosity as his prey had marveled at the room before reading the note he'd left him. He'd watched from the shadows as the young man appeared to truly enjoy the meal he'd prepared from him. His cold little lump of a heart did excited little flips in his chest and he smiled with pride.I've still got it.While the young man was otherwise occupied by his meal, he took his luggage and shoes up to the master guest room. He'd allow him a few hours to catch up on rest before feeding on him, it would be better for his recovery in the end and hasten the amount of time he'd have to wait before feeding on him again. Once the young man had finished his meal, he directed him to his quarters. He'd watched on with mild amusement as the young man had squealed with unbridled glee once he'd come upon the foyer. Perhaps he would indulge him in a private tour later, if he behaved. Once his prize had walked safely into his room for the night, he backed off as to allow him his rest.

A few hours later, his nose picked up on the mouth-watering scent of his prey as it moved about the house.Oh, he's the nosy, curious type.Let's see what kind of trouble he's gotten himself into.As he followed his nose down the halls, he growled in frustration once he realized where he'd gone.

"Ofallthe rooms for him to walk into, he had to choosethatone!"

He walked into the room and saw the young man standing in front of the only portrait of a living being he had in the whole damn house; a portrait of himself from back when he was still human. He'd torn away at his visage with his claws, back when he was unable to face his old self. The painting had stayed in the home, however, as he remained stubbornly unable to get rid of the last vestiges of who he used to be.Rest be damned. I shall feed on himnow.He'd closed the door deliberately and loudly, and the young man finally turned around. Once their eyes met, his fate was sealed. His prey was immediately frozen on the spot, unable to so much as blink of his own accord.

He walked up to the young man and removed the lantern from his hand, blowing it out before setting it down on the floor. He did not require light to see in the night. His eyes could see far beyond what comparatively weak human eyes ever could. He straightened his back and stepped in close to his immobile quarry. He examined the young man more closely, taking in the rich reddish-brown hue of his eyes. He reached for the man's hair, taking an errant lock between his thumb and forefinger, and allowing himself to revel in its silkiness. He was an exquisite specimen, indeed.

He leaned in close to the young man's neck, breathing in deeply as he slid his nose along the smooth column of skin. The young man before him trembled slightly as his skin broke out in gooseflesh.Mmmm, he's a responsive one. Let's see how he handles the kiss of death.His fangs grew long in his mouth, anticipating their impending use. He threaded the fingers of his right hand into the man's hair and pulled his head back; fully exposing his throat. A gurgled moan was emitted from the back of his prey's throat and he smiled. It was the last thing he did before sinking his fangs into the man's supple flesh. Gods almighty, the sweet ichor that flowed from the man's veins was the most earth-shattering ambrosia he'd ever tasted. He sucked at the spot more strongly, eagerly swirling his tongue around as it bathed in the blood. The young man in his clutches moaned loudly and the scent of his arousal hit his nose full-on. Suddenly, everything made so much sense…the man was a virgin.

The heady scent and the intoxicating taste of the blood that had him so fully enraptured all stemmed from the fact that he had a virgin before him. A man untouched, and unsullied by any other. His heart sang at the sheer good luck of being able to score such a rare meal.You are untarnished, yet you ache for another's touch. You are an interesting confluence of contradictions, young one.He pulled his victim's hair more roughly and redoubled his efforts at his neck. The young man arched his back and screamed, startling him with his ability to seemingly get past his control. Prey was supposed to be still and non-responsive, but this man was everything but. He couldn't say that it was necessarily a bad thing, it was actually a refreshing change from the stony and immovable sacks of blood he usually fed from.

Suddenly, the scent of the young man's spent passion filled his nose and he just about lost his damn mind. He growled into the man's neck, fighting to keep himself from fully losing out to lustandbloodlust. He sank his fangs deeper and drank passionately from the fountain of blood that sprang forth from them. Only when he felt the young man's hand cupping his face did he finally seem to come back to himself. He was so shocked by the man's action that he abruptly released the bite without bothering to seal it first. Blood oozed slowly from the two puncture holes, his first hint that something had gone horribly wrong. His eyes widened as he took in the ghostly pale face of the man before him, his lips curling upward in apprehension. The young man's weakened legs gave out from underneath him and he stepped forward just in time to catch the young man's slumping form. He realized with growing horror that he had allowed the feeding to get out of control. As he heard the young man's fading heartbeat, he cursed himself for being so careless.

"What have I done?!"

...TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2 poster /a/FxpdHyn_****_*DISCLAIMER*_****_Author only provides material for your spank bank. Batteries not included. ;)_**

**_\--end author's note--_**

He was Knyaz* Viktor Nikiforov. He was a vampire, and a nearly five-hundred-year-old one at that. He should not have been caught acting like some unhinged blood-thirsty fledgling. He had better control than that. Heknewhe had better control than that. He hadn't killed a human during a feeding since the very early days after he'd been turned. Sure, he had killed at other times, but it had mostly been to protect his secret and keep nosy humans away from his home. At the rate things were going, however, his clean record would soon be marred. The young man currently unconscious in his arms would be dead soon unless he did something about it. He sealed the puncture wounds at the young man's neck and set him down gently on the velvet-upholstered chair. He reached into his pocket and took out his smartphone, yet another piece of modern technology that had become an integral part of his life. After a few rings, a gruff male voice answered.

Denotes Russian speech/"..."/

/'What the hell did you dothistime, Vitya?"/

Viktor smiled wryly into the phone. After hundreds of years, the walking fossil known as Yakov still managed to answer the phone the same way.

/"Yakov, hello. You're bearish as usual. I'd love to waste time trading unpleasantries with you, but I need some advice."/

/Of course you do. The only time you ever call me is when you've fucked up somehow and need me to clean up after your mess."/

/"Shouldn't have sired such a troublesome child if you weren't prepared to deal with the fallout./"

Viktor had been turned against his will in the prime of his life, ambushed in a dark alley by Yakov and his cronies. They would have happily left his bloodless corpse on the street for the police to find, but Yakov's mate Lilia had been enamored by his beauty and grace and decided to spare him from blissful death. And just like that, he had been condemned to an eternity of loneliness and a thirst for blood that never ceased. His whole life and all his hard work had gone down the latrine in one fell swoop. He had spent his whole life slowly building his empire and rising through the ranks, and had finally become a Count. He had not been born into wealth, like many of those who were part of the corrupt oligarchy. He had fought tooth and nail for everything he had, and being turned into a vampire at the zenith of his success had made him incredibly bitter. His bitterness stuck to him like a second skin, and he was unable to let go, even after all this time.

/"Yes, yes…you hate me, I stole your life from you, blah…blah…blah. You sound like a jilted whore. Cut the crap, Vitya. Either tell me what you want or hang up and leave me the fuck alone."/

/"Fine. I'll cut to the chase. I was feeding on a human and it got out of control. He currently walks the line between life and death. How do I save him?"/

A few seconds of silence passed on the other end of the conversation and Viktor started wondering if Yakov was still there.

/"You want to…save someone?"/

/'Yes, that's what I just said. Has your hearing worsened suddenly in the last two minutes?"/

/"Listen, if you want my advice, stop being an ass. Why not just let him die? You could easily pass his body off as mangled by the wild animals in those woods you hole yourself up in."/

/"I don't want him to die. I want to keep him and feed on him for as long as I can. He's got the most exquisite and heavenly blood I have ever tasted and I'll be damned if I let him go after just one taste."/

/"I assume turning him is totally off the table, so you intend to make him your pet?"/

/"I guess, I don't know yet! I need to save his life first, Yakov. I'm running out of time, what do I do? I can't just run into a hospital with him like this without drawing massive attention to myself."/

/"There IS a way. If you give him some of your blood, it will heal him and allow him to recover."/

/"Won't giving him my blood turn him?"/

/"Not if he hasn't been fully drained and officially declared dead. Vampire blood is like a powerful aphrodisiac to humans. It heals them from within and can even save them from the brink of death. It also imparts upon them some of the heightened senses us vampires experience. I suggest keeping him under lock and key until he's fully recovered. He's going to wake up highly disoriented with enhanced senses. Humans are weak and can be easily driven mad, and forever damaged by vampire blood. It's why it's a practice that is publicly not condoned in our circles. If he survives the experience, it'll all eventually pass once your blood has made its way out his system."/

/"So he either dies or gets driven mad by my blood. Wonderful."/

/"You got yourself in this mess when you lost control. I've given you all the information I have. How this ends is up to you. Hopefully your new snack bar is healthy, and strong enough to survive the experience."/

/"I see. Well, thank you for the information. I must go now. Time is of the essence."/

Viktor pushed the end call button and walked up to the unconscious young man.

"I hope you're a fighter, young one."

He slit his own wrist with one of his claws and clenched his hand tightly into a fist as he dribbled the blood past the young man's lips. At first, it didn't appear as if anything was happening, but then the man's swallow reflex kicked in and the blood finally made it into his body. The change was nearly instant. The young man's pallor disappeared and his cheeks became flushed as his body was flooded with a new wave of red blood cells. Viktor sliced his wrist once more, as it had already started to heal up on its own. The young man's eyes suddenly flew open, his irises glowing red from the infusion of vampire blood. Viktor gasped as he locked eyes with him, enthralled by the acute intensity in them. The young man pulled the wrist toward his mouth, securing it tightly with both hands. He wrapped his lips around the wound and sucked, sending waves of ecstasy rolling down his spine. His fangs popped out involuntarily, reacting to the sight before him. He growled deep in his throat and just about lost his mind for the second time that night when the young man answered with a growl of his own.

Viktor shook his head as he tried to clear his mind. As much as he was enjoying the experience, he had to put a stop to things before the young man took more blood than was necessary. He tried pulling his wrist away but the young man held on tighter. He growled in annoyance this time and the sound caused the young man to pause briefly in his actions.

"Release me at once."

The young man whined and redoubled his efforts to hold on,sucking at the wound more vigorously than before. Viktor leaned in close and forced his fangs to retract. He then bit down on the young man's neck, careful not to break the skin. He growled threateningly at him, the message clear; submit. The young man moaned, his whole body suddenly going limp beneath him. He released his bite on the young man's neck and pulled his hand away, smiling at how easily the submission had come. He stroked the young man's silken ebony locks as he cooed smoothly at him.

"Good, very good. You submitted so effortlessly and have pleased me greatly. You've earned a reward, young one."

He placed a finger under the man's chin and tilted it upward, leaning in and lapping at the leftover blood on his lips and face. The young man's entire body trembled beneath his touch, and Viktor instantly realized that he wanted more. He closed the short distance between them and captured the bloody lips in a kiss. The young man mewled sweetly into his mouth, the sound going straight to his cock. He growled as he deepened the kiss, his tongue darting in and out as it danced within the molten cavern. He sighed inwardly, once again cursing the cumbersome set of circumstances that were preventing him from taking things further. As loath as he was to relinquish his little taste of heaven, he knew that the young man needed repose. He pulled away, his control briefly threatening to shatter as the young man whined longingly at the loss. He locked eyes with the young man once more and gave his order.

"Rest. You need to recover."

The young man's eyes drifted close and he immediately fell into a comfortable slumber. Viktor picked him up in his arms and carried him back to the master guest room. He settled him comfortably on the bed and removed his t-shirt and soiled pants, wiping him down with a wet cloth before slipping on a clean nightgown. He rarely used nightgowns anymore, preferring to sleep in the nude. They were mostly remnants of his past life, but he kept them around so that he would never forget where he came from. Satisfied that his guest was well-settled, he sat down on one of the chairs and waited.

Viktor's relief grew steadily along with the young man's strengthening heartbeat, and he actually thought for a brief moment that Yakov was simply full of shit and had just egged him on with all the dire warnings. But then a distressed noise was emitted from the unconscious man on the bed, bringing Viktor to his side immediately. Beads of sweat had formed on the man's brow and his face was scrunched up as if in he was in pain. Viktor ran to get some cold water and towels from the bathroom and then returned with a porcelain wash basin. He placed it on the nightstand and dipped a towel in the cold water before wringing out the excess and placing it on the man's forehead. He could feel the heat radiating from the bed, the man's body febrile as it fought against the vampire blood coursing through it. Viktor kept up the cold compresses for a while, but it quickly became clear that they were not being very effective. The young man had begun writhing on the bed as he panted and Viktor didn't really know what else to do. Garnet-tinged eyes opened slowly, dazed and unfocused as they looked listlessly around the room.

"Hot…sohot."

The young man clawed desperately at the night gown, seemingly tormented by the garment.

"Sorry, young one…you'll have to bear through the discomfort. You should feel better soon."

The young man didn't appear to have heard him, and seemed deaf to his attempted words of comfort. He carried on squirming wantonly on the silk sheets, the sweat pouring off his body. It soaked into the nightgown, causing it to cling indecently to his skin.

"It burns...so...hot."

The young man suddenly grabbed hold of the nightgown's collar and pulled. To Viktor's shock, the fabric tore in half, fully exposing the young man's lithe body. Viktor pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger and groaned. The first side effect of consuming vampire blood had just become known; superhuman strength.

The young man lay bare before him, chest heaving and hair plastered to his face. Viktor drank it all in, every dip, curve and detail. It had been centuries since he had seen anything that even remotely rivaled such beauty. His mouth went dry as his eyes raked over the young man's glistening naked body. It called to him, twisting and forsaken on his sheets. It was perfectly proportioned, slender but well-toned...and it filled him with desire. Gods, he'd been alone forsolong. He couldn't even recall the last time he'd been intimate with someone. He had resigned himself to solitude and hadn't really met anyone who had even piqued his interest in the slightest.

All that had gone straight to hell in a handbasket the moment he had set eyes upon the young human currently before him. The young man in question abruptly sat up in bed, the remnants of the shredded nightgown falling off and exposing the creamy expanse of his shoulders and the dimples of his collarbone. His eyes became clear momentarily and when they found Viktor, they filled with desire. The room became saturated with the scent of arousal, thicker and stronger than before. When Viktor spotted the hardened flesh between the young man's legs, he moaned, his own cock rapidly filling in response. Vampires were renowned for their insatiable sex drives, and it would appear that this had just manifested itself in the young man as the second side effect of vampire blood consumption.

"Дерьмо! Блядь! Вы будете второй смертью меня!"

The young man reached out pleadingly for him.

"Please, it hurts. Make…it…stop."

Viktor groaned and cursed his already cursed life. The fates had decided to torture him by throwing this massive bit of temptation right in his path, and he was fighting like hell not to give into the beast within. The human may be currently running high on his blood, but would still not survive a full onslaught from a sex-crazed vampire. Viktor reached for the young man's hand, and took it into his own.

"What ails you, young one? What do you need?"

The young man took their entwined hands and pressed Viktor's palm flat against his cheek. He closed his eyes and sighed; a dreamy and throaty sound.

"So cold. So good."

Viktor gulped, the young man's skin felt like fire. It was a kind of heat that he normally would avoid, but he honestly didn't think that he'd mind being consumed by this young man's flames.

"What is your name, young one?"

"Yuuri."

"Beautiful Yuuri, does my icy skin please you?"

"Yes, please…more."

Viktor placed his other hand on the man's face, the action eliciting a low moan from the one named Yuuri. The silver-haired vampire ran both hands slowly up and down Yuuri's neck, before bringing them over to trace the outline of his collar bones as they jutted out beautifully from his skin. Yuuri's eyes fluttered closed and his lips parted slightly as a sigh made its way past them.

"Yuuri, I need my hands back for a moment."

The young man whined plaintively, not wanting to lose the soothing coldness of his touch.

"Bear with me, it will soon feel much, much better."

Viktor removed his hands from Yuuri and stood up. He quickly divested himself of all his clothing and folded all the articles before placing them on the chair he'd been previously sitting in. It was all over in mere seconds, his vampire speed making him look like an out-of-focus blur. Once he was fully nude, he crawled onto the bed and lay himself down next to Yuuri. The young man immediately turned to press his body against his, and Viktor hissed as the overwhelming heat of the contact flooded his senses. Yuuri snuggled in even closer and wrapped his arms around Viktor's waist. The vampire buried his face in the young man's hair, forcing himself to take deep and calming breaths. He had just barely managed to get himself under control when he felt Yuuri's hardness actively pushing against his own. He growled, a deep rumble from the back of his throat, and the young man stopped his actions dead in his tracks. He could smell his sudden fear and apprehension in the air.

"Calm yourself, I am not displeased."

Yuuri pulled away from him, his lust-filled eyes looking questioningly up at him. His delectable scent filled Viktor's nose and went straight to the pleasure zone of his brain. He licked his lips to wet them, the movement drawing Yuuri's attention. The young man swallowed thickly before raising his eyes to meet Viktor's once more.

"P-please."

"Please what? What do you want? Tell me."

"I...don't...know."

Viktor placed his hands on Yuuri's hips and pulled him in tight against him as he pressed his own hips forward. Yuuri threw his head back and cried out, the sound causing Viktor's cock to twitch and become even harder.Gods, he's perfect!

"Did you like that, Yuuri?"

"Good...so good."

Viktor repeated the action, growing faster and applying more pressure with each hip thrust, and kept going until Yuuri had been reduced to an incoherent mess. He then released the young man's hips and rolled him onto his back. He got up and moved to straddle the young man, careful not to harm him. Once he was fully settled on top of him, he reached down and took both of their cocks in his large hand. Yuuri's back arched fully off the bed and his hands fisted themselves in the sheets, his beautiful scream filling the room with its melody. Precum dribbled freely from the tip of Yuuri's cock, and it provided more than enough lubrication for what Viktor had in mind. A vampire's body does not produce any fluids or waste, since it is not technically alive and doesn't require human food for sustenance.

Viktor pressed their hardened cocks intimately together and began pumping them with his hand. Yuuri cried out and writhed continually on the bed as the sounds of Viktor stroking their slick skin together filled the room. Viktor's eyes drifted closed and his upper lip curled back and off his teeth as he scented their passion in the air. Yuuri's cries grew louder and higher in pitch as he neared orgasm and Viktor longed to taste him again. He grabbed one of Yuuri's arms and pulled him up into a sitting position. He readjusted their positions until the young man was sitting comfortably in his lap. He slid the fingers of his left hand into Yuuri's hair and pulled him forward, crashing their lips together. His fangs elongated instantly and they sliced into Yuuri's lip when he raked them across the supple flesh. The meager smattering of blood would have to be enough to satisfy him from now, there's no way he could possibly feed off him again so soon.

Viktor moaned as the taste of Yuuri's blood flooded his mouth for the second time that night. It still carried the addictive undercurrent from the first time he'd tasted it, but there was a little something extra this time around. It suddenly dawned on him that his vampiric blood had affected Yuuri's blood and thereby altered its flavor slightly. It wasn't altogether bad, and he found that he actually quite liked it. It tasted richer, more nuanced somehow. It would certainly be something that he wouldn't mind getting used to at all. He pumped their cocks faster and Yuuri whined and whimpered into his mouth, the sounds immediately swallowed by their kiss. A few seconds later, Viktor pulled away and paused as he took in the man's flushed face. His lips were slightly parted, swollen from their kiss and slightly reddened from a thin coat of blood.

"Yuuri, look at me."

The young man opened his eyes, and stared at him with a glassy and lust-addled gaze.

"Very good. Don't take your eyes off me."

Viktor released his grip on Yuuri's hair and brought that hand down to join the other. He gripped them tightly with both hands and thrust his hips forward as he stroked them off. Yuuri's mouth fell open, hanging suspended in a silent scream. He slid his hands up Viktor's arms, bringing them to a stop at his shoulders. He dug his nails in, and Viktor was surprised when he felt them pierce his skin and caught the scent of his own blood. Vampiric blood consumption side effect number three; claws. Yuuri's cries suddenly became very desperate, his gurgling sobs tearing forth from the back of his throat.

"Come for me, Yuuri."

The young man threw his head back and screamed, thick ribbons of cum erupting from his cock. He clawed madly at Viktor's shoulders, tearing at the flesh with his newfound claws. Viktor's own dry release followed shortly afterward, his body trembling with each wave of insurmountable ecstasy. He felt a slight stinging sensation on his arms and clucked his tongue as he spotted the blood trickling down them. The mild discomfort was quickly over, his flesh already knitting itself together. Yuuri shook as he strained to remain sitting in his lap, muscles taut and fatigue clearly showing on his face. He continued staring unblinkingly at him and Viktor realized that the previous order to not take his eyes off him was still in effect.

"I release you from all previous orders."

Yuuri's eyes instantly rolled into the back of his head and he promptly fainted in his arms.

Twice more Yuuri burned that night, his ardor and lust twofold. Twice more Viktor indulged him, sweetly torturing the young man's body with pleasure until it was overcome with exhaustion and released him briefly from its scorching clutches. The first time had been in the shower, as he had been washing the traces of blood and semen off their bodies. Yuuri had been mostly unconscious, limp and pliant one moment, and then pinning him against the shower wall the next. Viktor had been surprised by the sudden show of strength, but nothing could have prepared him for what Yuuri had done next. The young man had grabbed hold of one of his hands and taken his index finger into his mouth. He had suckled seductively at the digit, closing his eyes as his tongue had obscenely wrapped itself around it. He had looked on, entranced by the way his finger was being made love to by Yuuri's tongue. He didn't even realize that he'd been cut until he saw a drop of blood dribbling out of the corner of Yuuri's mouth. He had immediately grabbed Yuuri by the throat and pushed him roughly against the wall.

"Naughty, insolent Yuuri. You did not have permission to take from me."

The young man had simply smiled at him, exposing a pair of gleaming and slightly elongated canine teeth. Viktor had never felt so conflicted before in his entire life. He should have been feeling concerned that the young man was being too affected by his blood, that perhaps things had gone too far in the opposite direction. But the only thing he wastrulyconcerned with at the moment was how the hell he was going to manage to keep himself from obliterating Yuuri's virgin hole. He wanted nothing more than to pin him to the wall and fuck him until the only thing that filled his mind and escaped his lips was his name. But what hetrulywanted was to take Yuuri when he was fully human and not in this current altered state. In the meantime, he would have his fill of the eager and willing man. He leaned in close and stared deeply into Yuuri's eyes, unleashing the full strength of his power. The young man's eyes grew glassy and distant and Viktor grinned with satisfaction.

"You are to remain standing, with your hands at your sides until I tell you otherwise. You are forbidden to speak and may only use your mouth for non-verbal sounds. Do you understand?"

A slight nod from the young man before him was the only acknowledgment he needed. He stepped back a bit and raked his hungry eyes over Yuuri's entire body. It was a far too perfect and unblemished canvas, and looked as if it could benefit from some strategic love bites. Viktor stepped in close to Yuuri and licked the young man's neck from the base of his graceful collarbone to the base of his earlobe, relishing the little tremors he set off in his wake. He took his time sucking and nibbling on each earlobe, only releasing them from their torture once he'd had reduced Yuuri to a panting mess. He kissed his way back down the young man's throat, biting playfully at the skin, each nip earning him a musical little whimper from Yuuri. He slid lower still, coming to rest in front of a semi-hardened nipple. He licked the nipple slowly and deliberately, and then blew on it, satisfied with how it immediately hardened and drew a little cry from Yuuri's mouth. He moved over to the other nipple, lavishing the same attention upon it. As he moved further down Yuuri's torso, his nips and nibbles grew in strength and intensity, leaving little red welts in their wake.

He ran his tongue along the dips and curves of Yuuri's abdominal muscles, more little red marks forming, leaving behind evidence of his claim. He smirked viciously as he spotted the young man's trembling thighs, his cock hard and leaking once more.Incredible, his stamina seems truly boundless! Gods, how I want him!Impatient, Viktor licked his lips and then took all of Yuuri's cock into his mouth in one smooth movement. The young man screamed, his hips bucking forward erratically until Viktor pressed them flat against the wall with his palms once more. He flicked his tongue along the head, lavishing attention on the sensitive flesh. He savored the salty tang of Yuuri's taste, drawing a pleased growl from his throat. Above him, Yuuri whimpered and sobbed as he fought helplessly against his control. Viktor bobbed his mouth along Yuuri's length, reaching lower between his legs with one hand to fondle the tender sac of flesh nestled there. He continued his merciless assault on Yuuri's flesh, drawing ever-more desperate cries from his quarry. He felt Yuuri's sac contract in his hand and knew that his orgasm would soon follow. He drank in every drop that Yuuri gave him, practically purring as he languidly cleaned him up with his tongue. He stood up once he was satisfied with his work, straightening out his back before looking into Yuuri's eyes once more.

"Rest."

The young man crumpled into an unconscious heap in his arms and he carried him back to the bed. When Yuuri's third wave of heat hit, he knew what was coming and prepared appropriately. He filled the tub with cold water and lowered them both into it, placing Yuuri on his lap and facing away from him. When Yuuri's eyes opened again, he took his cock into his hand, smirking as it immediately hardened in his grasp.

"Amazing, Yuuri."

He looped his left arm around the young man's waist, holding him in place as he stroked him. Yuuri's head tilted back, his eyes closed and he began to pant and moan. His head rested on Viktor's shoulder, baring the smooth skin of his throat to him. The ancient vampire did not hesitate to take advantage of the situation, running his tongue along the flesh and marking it with his teeth. The cold water seemed to have tempered the searing fire in Yuuri's blood and he was much more subdued and pliant than before. Upon reaching orgasm, the young man drifted off to sleep on his own, and Viktor wondered if that meant his vampire blood was finally making its way out of his system. He drained the tub and dried them both off before placing Yuuri back on the bed for what would turn out to be for the last time that night.

"Makkachin, come."

A four-legged shadow stalked silently into the room, its red eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Be a good boy and watch the human for me, will you? Don't let him leave the room."

The creature stepped out of the shadows and moved to sit next to the bed. To the untrained eye, it looked very much like the kind of canine a human would keep as a pet, but Makkachin was anything but. Makkachin was a ВолкоДлака. He'd been traveling through Illyria*in the early centuries of his undead life when he'd heard that there were hunters in the area. He'd recently had a few close calls with hunters and was eager to get as far away as possible from the area. Earlier on, he had purchased a horse in town and had been well on his way to the next destination when he'd heard the most pitiful howl. He'd tied the horse to a nearby tree and had cautiously approached the direction of the sound. He had come upon an angry mob, complete with lit torches and pitchforks. At the center of the mob was a canine of sorts, a small pup trembling underneath its legs. The canine's eyes glowed red and Viktor had immediately known that the creature was not an average dog. It was a supernatural creature like himself, and it also appeared to be a mother desperately trying to protect its offspring.

He had acted without a second thought, unleashing a subsonic scream into the night air, bringing to him a living cloud of every bat within a six-mile area. Contrary to the legends and folklore, vampires did not magically turn themselves into bats, but theydidhave a special connection with the creatures. The bats swarmed the angry mob, swooping down on their heads and sending them into a panicked frenzy. The mob had quickly dispersed, its members fleeing in terror in all directions. Once the coast was clear, he cautiously approached the canine, who had collapsed from exhaustion and lay recumbent and panting on the ground. The dog's eyes had opened to look at him when she sensed his approach, relaxing when she saw that he was not human. He heard a voice in his head and realized that the dog was speaking directly to his mind.

"Save him. Those filthy humans killed the other four children I had, he's the only one I was able to save. I am mortally wounded and will not survive the night. Take him, and promise me you will care for him. Then I can die in peace."

Viktor had looked down at the little red-eyed lump of auburn fur as it had nestled into his mother's fur and whined pitifully at her. He reached down to pet him and had to pull his hand back at the last second as the little spitfire had snapped at him with great bravado. The mother dog growled an admonishment at him and he settled down, allowing him to touch him. He scratched under its chin and it closed its eyes as one of its little hind legs thumped furiously on the ground. Viktor had not been able to deny that it had been the cutest thing he'd witnessed in a long time. Perhaps having an immortal dog accompany him throughout the centuries wouldn't be such a bad idea. It would certainly help keep the loneliness away.

"I accept. I shall take your pup and raise him. He shall be my companion and my protector."

The mother nodded and nuzzled her pup one last time. Some kind of understanding passed between them, and the pup had licked his mother's nose before turning and jumping into his lap.

"Please, take my son and go now. I do not wish for him to witness my passing. Thank you, fellow undead one. I hope my son is good to you and repays your kindness with his loyalty."

Viktor had taken the pup and tucked him into his coat. He had to get out of there before the humans returned. He nodded and scratched the mother behind the ears before turning and leaving. As he had arrived back at his horse, he heard her take her last breath. He wished that she did not have to die, but held nothing but high respect for her noble sacrifice. The pup, whom he had named Maкачин, had repaid his kindness in spades over the centuries. He had beenveryloyal and protective, saving his life on various occasions. The creature had been nothing but loving toward him, even providing him with his warmth and comfort during the times his condition had driven him to despair. And now, he was trusting him with protecting his new prize; Yuuri. He knew that the young man would require human sustenance soon. His body would require lots of proteins and fats after expending so much energy, he needed to go and forage.

He had managed to find a flock of well-fed geese, fattened just before flying south for the winter. He had chosen the plumpest one, easily snapping its neck before stuffing it into the sack he'd brought along. He'd gathered some wild squash, apples and chestnuts, adding them to a separate bag. Then he'd found a herd of goats on his way back and had managed to get some milk from a lactating female. He was thankful that his powers of compulsion also worked on animals, it made the process much easier. He'd picked a lemon from a nearby tree and made a quick pit stop for a nude fishing expedition in the lake before finally feeling satisfied that he had enough. He returned to the house a short while later laden with goods. After dropping everything off in the kitchen, he went upstairs to check on Yuuri. When he walked into the room, his undead heart skipped a beat. Makkachin was sprawled over the young man's legs, seemingly fast asleep. When he sensed his presence, one red eye opened to look at him, and the creature's tail wagged in greeting.

Viktor was shocked. Makkachin was notorious for his dislike of humans, generally avoiding them whenever possible and growling threateningly at them whenever they got too close. Yet here he was, cuddling with one.

"I see Yuuri's managed to get you under his spell too, eh boy?"

Makkachin huffed at him, his voice ringing in his mind.

"He smells of you. If you have found him worthy of acceptance, then so do I."

Viktor opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a sudden movement on the bed. The young man seemed to have finally woken and was currently in the process of sitting up on the bed. He mumbled something in a language he did not understand and yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head. Viktor stood frozen to the spot, unsure of how to act and what to do.How would Yuuri react upon seeing him?The young man opened his eyes and immediately noticed Viktor standing in the room. He gasped and pointed a finger at him. Viktor braced himself for the worst.

"Are you 'V'?"

"Uh...yes, I am."

"You have the most beautiful house I've EVER seen!"

The young man then flopped back down onto his back and was fast asleep again as soon as his head hit the pillow. Viktor stood there with his mouth open, gawping incredulously at the sleeping man snoring softly on the bed. He heard the sound of Makkachin's laughter echoing loudly in his head.

"Well, you alwaysdidsay you liked surprises!"

terminology_

Knyaz (Княз):a historicalSlavictitle, used both as a royal and noble title in different times of history and different ancient Slavic lands. It is usually translated intoEnglishasprince,dukeorcount, depending on specific historical context and the potentially known Latin equivalents of the title for each bearer of the name. In this story it is used to mean "Count".

Дерьмо! Блядь! (Der'mo! Blyad'!) - Shit! Fuck!

Вы будете второй смертью меня! (Vy budete vtoroy smert'yu menya.) – You'll be the second death of me!

ВолкоДлака (volkodlaka) – Undead vampire werewolf

Illyria – Ancient Albania


	3. Chapter 3

Viktor stood at the foot of the four-poster bed, mouth agape, jaw nearly on the ground, and Makkachin's laughter still echoing inside his head. He brought his hands to his face, cradling his head in them for a few seconds before his shoulders began to shake. A few chuckles morphed into unstoppable giggles, before rapidly growing into roaring guffaws. The next thing he knew, he was bent over, holding his sides and struggling for breath he didn't even need.

"Well, that's new. I don't think I've ever seen you do **that** before."

Viktor straightened out his back and wiped the bloody tears gingerly from his eyes, careful not to get any blood on his clothes.

"There really hasn't been that much to laugh about since we've known each other, Makka."

"Perhaps things will be different with that human around. Do you plan on keeping him?"

He did.

…

Yuuri groggily opened his eyes, fading slowly back into consciousness, and stretched his arms languidly above his head as he yawned loudly. He immediately hissed between clenched teeth and covered his ears, moaning plaintively as the roaring raucous rattled in his ears.

"Why is everything so damn loud? It sounds like the whole forest is inside my brain!"

Yuuri groaned and buried his head under the pillows, writhing pitifully as he tried to escape the painful loudness of the world around him. As he tried to bury himself deeper into the sheets, he suddenly felt something pawing at his shoulder. He lifted his head out of the pillows and came face-to-face with the most adorable caramel-colored standard poodle in the world.

"Oh-my-god-first-a-perfect-house-and-now-the-most-adorable-dog-EVER!"

Yuuri wrapped his arms around the dog's neck and pulled it into the bed with him, earning him a surprised yelp from the canine as he did so. He flipped the dog onto its back on his lap and started rubbing its belly and cooing at him lovingly until the dog fully relaxed and turned into a puddle of fluffy panting goo under his ministrations. And then, suddenly and without any warning, the most beautiful man he'd ever seen burst into the room, dressed in attire that fit in perfectly with the rest of the house. Yuuri's mouth dropped open as he took in the tightly-fitting black dress breeches, stunning plum-colored satin chemise with ruffled collar and billowing sleeves, perfectly coiffed short silver hair, and the most stunning blue eye he'd ever seen. When the handsome man spotted the prone dog on his lap, he burst into roaring laughter, a sound that Yuuri immediately knew he could never get sick of.

"If you say anything, so help me Satan, I will rip your throat out with my own teeth, keep it from you, and not let you heal for **days**."

The handsome man waved his hands defensively in front of him as he composed himself, readjusting his collar before turning to address the confused-looking Japanese man sitting up on the bed.

"Forgive me for the sudden and unannounced intrusion, esteemed guest. I heard my dog's yelp earlier and worried that he was perhaps in distress. But I see now that he is…being very well-looked after."

Somehow, Yuuri was finally able to close his mouth and his brain was actually able to process thoughts.

"A-ah...that's alright. Sorry, I'm a big sucker for dogs and he looks exactly like a dog I used to have. When I saw him next to my bed, I just couldn't help myself. What's his name?"

Viktor smiled winningly at the young man, feeling a bit smug when he heard his quarry's heart start racing wildly in his chest.

"His name is Makkachin, and it looks to me like you two are already best friends!"

"F-f-Friends?! I've never felt so humiliated in my entire life! I'm a three-hundred-year-old vampire werewolf, and here I am...being reduced to the most…**basest** of all canine behaviors...by a HUMAN no less!"

Viktor stifled another chuckle, having found the rampant indignation in Makkachin's voice irresistibly amusing. The young one stared down at the dog still being helplessly overstimulated in his lap and doubled down on the rubs.

"Well, Makkachin is the goodest and most handsomest of all the good boys, and deserves only the bestest belly rubs!"

The canine's eyes just about rolled into the back of his head and one of his back legs started windmilling rhythmically in the air.

"FUCK! This is...I could...get used to this."

Viktor laughed merrily at the situation before him, unable to hold his amusement back any longer. The young one opened his mouth to ask the handsome man what had gotten into him when he stopped, suddenly struck by how quiet things were.

"Oh! It's gotten quiet! What a relief!"

Of course it has, thought the vampire. I took care of every nuisance myself. Makkachin had informed him of the young one's torment as soon as he'd awoken. He had been in the middle of making breakfast and had dropped everything to run off and frighten away every living creature within a five mile radius. The fact that it was a bright and sunny morning had barely registered in his mind. He was old enough that sunlight didn't really bother him much anymore and he'd felt nothing more than a slight tingling sensation on his exposed skin. He'd surmised that the young one was probably still experiencing heightened senses from the leftover vampire blood in his system, and had made a mental note to keep his voice low and soft when speaking to him.

He hadn't been back at work on breakfast for very long when he'd heard Makkachin's yelp followed by a string of obscenities that would have made a sailor blush. Halfway up the stairs, Makkachin's thoughts became garbled and incoherent and he'd sprinted the rest of the way, increasingly concerned. He had crashed into the room and skidded to a halt before a sight he had never expected to see. To say that he had been absolutely flabbergasted by the scene before him had been an understatement. Makkachin was on his back on the young one's lap, his eyes half-closed in apparent pleasure, mouth hanging open, and tongue lolling to the side as he was getting his belly thoroughly rubbed. Makka had never let him do that, even once, in the hundreds of years they'd already spent together. The most he'd ever gotten away with were conservative scratches behind his ears. He could not deny the pang of jealousy that had hit him when he'd seen his loyal companion so easily undone by a human he'd just met. Not that he could fault him for it, he had also immediately become entranced by that particular human's natural charms.

"Perhaps the lack of city sounds has made the sounds of nature richer and louder to your ears. We're pretty isolated out here in the dense woods after all."

The Japanese man nodded thoughtfully, seemingly satisfied with the explanation presented to him.

"Did you have a good night's sleep, dear guest?"

The young one opened his mouth to answer, but was instead overcome with confusion.

"I...I...don't actually...remember."

Viktor's heart sank a little, disappointed that the young man apparently did not retain any memories of their heated activities from the night before.

"Ah, perhaps you were just really tired. You did do a lot of strenuous hiking yesterday."

The young man brought his hand up to his neck, absentmindedly rubbing at the spot where Viktor had drunk from him. The action caused a small ripple of excited trepidation in Viktor, and his heart would have most certainly skipped a beat, had he actually had a beating heart.

"It's so strange...it feels like...more than that. I don't even remember getting into bed or falling asleep. I get the feeling that there's something more I'm missing."

"Do you remember meeting me very briefly earlier this morning?"

The young man's mouth fell open in shock, causing him to temporarily pause Makkachin's belly rubs. Spell finally broken, the dog rolled over and righted himself before jumping off the bed and going to sit at his master's feet.

"We met earlier today? How? What did I say?"

The silver-haired vampire shrugged, trying to play things off as nonchalantly as possible.

"You pointed at me, demanded to know if I was 'V' and then proceeded to tell me I had the most 'amazing house ever', and then passed back out again."

The young man's face turned a charming shade of red, reminding Viktor of all the amazingly delicious blood coursing through his delectable body. His throat tightened almost painfully, and he licked his lips at the memory.

"I'm SO sorry for being such a terribly rude guest! I swear I have better manners than that! I don't know what's gotten into me!"

Viktor walked closer to the bed and took a seat at the edge closest to the young man, smirking when he saw the young one redden further at his presence.

"Please, don't be so hard on yourself. I'm not insulted in the least. I should be the one feeling ashamed. I invited you to stay at my home and I didn't even introduce myself to you properly!"

The ancient vampire flicked his head to the left in a smooth and practiced movement, the silver hair that usually fell over his left eye momentarily sliding out of the way to reveal the other stunning blue eye. He extended a gloved hand to the young man before him and smiled.

"I'm Viktor Nikiforov, nice to meet you. Welcome to my humble home."

The young one reached out and took his hand in his, squeezing lightly as he did so.

"I'm Yuuri Katsuki, nice to meet you too! I'm absolutely honored to be in your incredible home, Mister Nikiforov."

"Please, call me Viktor. Well Yuuri, I've got a breakfast going that is almost ready. Are you hungry?"

Yuuri opened his mouth to answer but his stomach beat him to the punch. He blushed beautifully once more and Viktor had to bite back a moan.

"Sorry! I, uh…yeah…I guess I am."

Viktor reached out and placed a hand on one of Yuuri's thighs, delighting in how the young man jumped a bit at the contact and his heart galloped in his chest once more.

"Why don't you go ahead and freshen up and then get dressed? I'll be waiting for you downstairs."

Viktor stood up and Yuuri scrambled to his feet after him.

"That sounds great! I'll…"

Yuuri's eyes glazed over and he teetered dangerously on his feet. As he began to fall forward, two strong arms wrapped themselves around his waist and held him up.

"Yuuri, are you alright?"

"Dizzy...so dizzy."

Viktor held Yuuri fast against his chest, silently providing a pillar of support while the young man recovered from his dizzy spell. Блядь! He must be weaker than he's letting on. I'll just have to bring him his breakfast in bed, then. Viktor leaned Yuuri backward until he was seated on the bed once more. He supported him easily with one arm and propped up the pillows behind them with the other. He then pushed the young man back until he was settled comfortably against the nest of pillows, picked his legs up and put them back on the bed. He covered Yuuri back up with the sheets and leaned in to brush a few messy locks of hair off his forehead, staring with great concern into those muddled brown orbs until their lucid quality finally returned. Yuuri blinked lazily up at him until his eyes lost their glassy quality and he was able to fully focus on him.

"Ugh...what happened?"

"You got a bit dizzy when you stood up. It just means you need some more more rest. Stay here and I will bring your breakfast up to you."

"No, no, no, that's fine! I'm fine, really. There's no need to bother you and make you go out of your way!"

Yuuri immediately tried to get up again, but found himself being firmly pushed back down by a gloved hand on his chest. When the owner of that hand spoke, his voice had such an ethereal velvety-smooth quality to it that Yuuri could not help but hang on every word.

"Stay. I insist. You are my guest and I shall care for you as I see fit."

Yuuri opened his mouth to argue but found that all the fight had seemingly evaporated right out of him, and he was overcome with an irresistible desire to stay in bed just as his host had suggested.

"I...uh...okay."

Viktor beamed at him, the act making the man look even more devastatingly handsome, and causing Yuuri's stomach to flop around like some fish out of water.

"Good, very good Yuuri. Stay right here. I'll be right back."

Yuuri nodded absentmindedly in the direction of the voice. There was something in the way Viktor had spoken his name that had send shivers racing down his spine. He couldn't explain it, but he felt as if he'd heard his name uttered that way by the man before. I must just be imagining things. Side effects of hypoglycemia and exhaustion, probably. Get it together Yuuri, there's nothing out of the ordinary here. Your gracious host is a blue-eyed, silver-haired pile of too-perfect perfection, and you're just another guest in his pristine gothic era mansion he lives all alone in with his dog. Miles from civilization in the middle of nowhere. In the middle of a dense forest, with no nearby roads, nowhere near your motorbike...oh-my-god-how-have-I-not-been-murdered-yet?!

"Yuuri."

The cloud of fog abruptly lifted from Yuuri's brain and clarity returned to him in one huge rolling wave. He blinked a few times and promptly noticed that Viktor was sitting on the edge of the bed with a tray of food on his lap. Wait, when did he get here? He was here just a second ago, wasn't he?

"Oh good, you're alright. You seemed a bit lost in thought there for a while."

Yuuri shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. Kami, what is wrong with me? This whole morning has been one growing pile of weirdness. I can't seem to make heads or tails of anything that's happened.

"Would you like to know what's for breakfast, Yuuri?"

The word 'breakfast' had an immediate effect on Yuuri, reining his focus in like nothing else.

"Yes, please!"

"Great! Let's get started."

Viktor pointed to a large bowl containing an orange-colored liquid of sorts. It was a beautifully rich color and smelled positively delicious.

"First we have the wild squash soup with roasted chestnuts."

Yuuri's mouth hung open in delighted shock. That sounded so fancy!

"Then we have grilled goose breast and pan-seared goose liver. It's not quite foie gras, but has just enough fat in it to make it buttery smooth."

Yuuri's mouth began to water and he swallowed quickly before he embarrassed himself by drooling everywhere.

"Then we have apple slices with freshly made cheese. I was able to find some tea in my cupboards. Sorry, I don't have any coffee."

Yuuri's eyes sparkled with anticipation as he eyed the food-laden tray before him.

"This is amazing, thank you so much! Your servants must have been quite busy preparing it."

"I do not have servants. I prepared this all myself."

Yuuri's eyes grew wide as saucers as his astonishment was clearly visible.

"You...made this all by yourself? For...me?"

He looked down at the tray once more, and was filled with immense gratitude.

"Where did you get all the ingredients? There aren't any stores around here."

"Everything on that tray came from the forest."

"Even the cheese?"

"Correct. I made the cheese this morning by adding lemon juice to the goat milk."

Yuuri didn't think that he'd ever had freshly made cheese before in his life and suddenly found himself super excited to tuck into his breakfast.

"Ittadakimasu! Thanks for the food!"

Yuuri picked up the spoon and scooped up some of the soup. He blew on the hot liquid a few times and then brought it into his mouth. Yuuri's taste buds were filled with the sweet and nutty flavor of squash, almost reminiscent of sweet potato, followed by the earthy taste of the roasted chestnuts. The soup was beautifully balanced with spices and the dollop of cream that had been placed in the middle. Yuuri closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as the warm and delicious liquid slid comfortingly down his throat. When he opened his eyes, Viktor's face was mere inches from his own. His azure eyes were staring at him with such intensity that he felt them boring right down to his soul. Agh! He's too close!

"Yuuri."

"Y-y-yes Viktor?"

"Is it good?"

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and nodded eagerly at the man before him.

"Yes, Viktor. It's absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!"

Satisfied with the answer he was given, Viktor pulled away from him and sat himself down on the velvet chaise directly in front of the bed.

"Have you eaten yet, Viktor? I feel a bit bad that I'm sitting here eating when you have no food before you."

Viktor waved a hand dismissively in the air.

"Worry not, Yuuri. I assure you that I have eaten very well."

A predatory glint flickered in Viktor's eyes and Yuuri felt that thrill of excitement run down his spine once more. He couldn't explain it, that kind of look would normally have him running for the hills. Instead, it intrigued him and just piqued his curiosity even further. Yuuri nodded once toward Viktor and then carried on with his meal. The goose meat and liver didn't disappoint either, and Yuuri was worried that his appreciative vocalizations were becoming a bit too much. But every time he looked over at Viktor, all he could see was that pair of blue eyes fixed on him, unblinking, and watching him. The apples with cheese were a marvelous ending to the meal, the perfect mix of crunch, sweetness and creaminess. Yuuri drained the last of his Earl Gray tea and then sighed happily as he set the empty cup down on the tray.

"That was positively delicious, amazing, incredible...you name it."

Viktor walked over to the bed and removed the tray from his lap.

"I'm glad that my cooking has pleased you so. Now, you must rest a bit more and regain your strength."

"I'm really okay now. I think I'll be fine to stand on my own again."

Viktor shook his head.

"No Yuuri, you need to rest."

"But I'm..."

"If you agree to rest a bit more, I will give you a personal tour of my entire house, including the grounds."

Yuuri's eyes lit up at the mention of a tour and he practically squealed with delight. Viktor laughed at his reaction, winking cheekily at him as he placed the tray on the nightstand.

"I'm beginning to sense a definite pattern with you here."

Yuuri blushed, slightly embarrassed that he was apparently so transparent. He rubbed the back of his head as he smiled sheepishly at his host.

"Ahhh, sorry about that. I'm an architecture student and I'm really fascinated by ancient buildings, furniture and décor. Being in your home is like finding a diamond in the desert. I've dreamed of seeing something like this, for years."

"Well then, I'd be more than happy to make your dreams come true, Yuuri. But it's going to require more rest on your part."

"I'd be more than happy to comply with your request, but I'm all full of energy after breakfast and don't think I could fall asleep if I wanted to."

Viktor leaned in close to him once more and locked his eyes onto Yuuri's. The young Japanese man gulped, suddenly faced with that deep and profound stare of his once more.

"I think you are feeling sleepy and would love nothing more than to sleep a little while longer. Don't you think? I'll come wake you up myself."

Yuuri found himself yawning loudly as his eyelids fluttered closed, suddenly too heavy for him to keep open on his own willpower. His arms fell limply a his sides and he sank back slowly into the comfy cloud of pillows. Viktor waited and listened for the slowed heart beat and respiration. Satisfied that Yuuri had fallen back asleep, he leaned in and stared closely at the angelic face of the sleeping man.

"How is it that I manage to ignore humans for centuries, distancing myself from civilization as much as possible to avoid them, and then find myself caring after one?"

Viktor removed the glove from his right hand and reached out to gently stroke Yuuri's face, stroking a warm cheek with his thumb.

"What voodoo magic have you cast on me, young one?"

…

"...ri."

Yuuri's nose twitched and he pulled the sheets over his head.

The sheets were ripped away from him and Yuuri curled up into a tiny ball, trying to hide his face from the bright light flooding the room. Laughter filled the room and Yuuri heard a rather amused voice call his name called out once more.

"Yuuri!"

The young man groaned and opened his eyes slowly to a rather amused-looking Viktor standing at the foot of the bed, both hands on his hips.

"You're being so lazy. It's like you don't care about the tour at all!"

Yuuri was immediately awake, out of bed and rushing around the room like a madman, looking for his stuff.

"Argh! My backpack, my clothes, my shoes...where is everything?!"

Viktor laughed even harder at the sight of the severely flustered young man before him.

"Calm down, Yuuri! We have lots of time. Please sit, I have something for you."

Yuuri sat down on the edge of the bed, hands on his lap and his back painfully straight as he waited anxiously for whatever Viktor had for him.

"I thought it would be a more authentic experience if you were dressed for the part."

Viktor walked over to the table and picked up a pile of neatly folded clothing and handed it to Yuuri.

"I'm sorry, they'll probably be a bit big on you, but I have some pins and can shorten the pant legs and pin them up for you."

Yuuri's eyes grew so big that they nearly bugged out of their sockets. He gingerly and reverently took the pile of clothing in his hands and looked up at Viktor with so much adoration that the man had to look away from the intensity.

"The bathroom is just over this way. I'll wait for you here until you're done."

Viktor watched as Yuuri nodded enthusiastically and disappeared into the bathroom to change. When the young one stepped out in the clothes he had picked, Viktor's breath caught in his throat. Yuuri looked beautiful, stunning even, in the trappings of his era.

"Come here Yuuri, let me take a look at you."

Yuuri picked up a fistful of pants in each hand, careful to not let them drag on the ground, and shuffled over to Viktor. The man moved in behind him, and fastened the top button of the shirt collar. He pulled the vest snugly against Yuuri's frame and walked back around to the front to fluff out the large sleeves of the simple white blouse. Then Viktor got down on one knee and rolled up the material of each pant leg until it was just above Yuuri's ankles. He pinned the material expertly and and then stood up to assess his work. Viktor nodded and hummed appreciatively before turning to pick up a pair of shoes he'd packed with tissue paper at the heel.

"The paper should fill the shoes enough that they'll be comfortable for you to walk in. Try them out and let me know if they're alright."

Yuuri put the shoes on very carefully. Studying ancient architecture often led to studying the fashions that went along with each time period. As soon as he saw the shoes, he knew they were styled after sixteenth century Italian leather shoes and that they probably cost more than he could ever make in a lifetime. They were extremely comfortable, and after he wiggled his foot around in them a bit, his toes were pushed snugly against the tip of each shoe.

"I think your tissue paper system works great! They feel quite comfortable at the moment."

Viktor smiled at the young man before him and extended a hand out to him.

"Shall we?"

Yuuri placed his right hand over his heart and folded his left arm behind him as he bowed deeply toward his host.

"We shall."

…

Yuuri was feeling severely overstimulated. He had never, ever been so privy to such beauty, decadence and elegance. They had started the tour out in the gardens and what he'd seen when he'd first stepped out into the sunlight had literally taken his breath away. A single central path paved with weathered cobblestones of varying shades of gray split the garden into two equal halves. On the left was a nearly endless sea of ruby-red roses, and a vast row of blood-red bougainvillea trees laden with heavy blossoms on the right. A series of evenly-spaced metal arches spanned the length of the path, each fully covered with some kind of flowering vine that produced delicately tiny white flowers. They provided some stark contrast to the otherwise sea of red petals before them. Yuuri had not recognized the particular little white flower and had asked Viktor about it.

"Ah, that particular plant is called Virgin's Bower. So pure and dainty in its whiteness. Much like a real virgin, wouldn't you agree?"

Yuuri had immediately turned into a blushing mess and sputtered helplessly as he'd tried to compose himself and come up with something intelligible to say.

"The best thing about the Virgin's Bower, however, is when it bears fruit."

"W-w-why's that?"

"It produces a small dry fruit that is engulfed in a sea of feathery silver plumes. It easily becomes the most beautiful feature of this garden, easily surpassing the beauty of the roses and bougainvillea combined."

"Those tiny little white flowers turn into something like that?"

"Indeed, Yuuri. Sometimes a virgin's true allure is only discovered after it has been fertilized."

Yuuri's face immediately got three shades redder and he looked just about ready to run away and hide somewhere. Viktor laughed merrily at his reaction, and Yuuri pouted so prettily at him that he'd had to fight back the severe urge to just kiss him senseless right there in the garden. I wonder... how beautiful would Yuuri be, naked beneath me in a bed of rose and bougainvillea petals, being made love to under the silver moonlight. Viktor moaned, cursing his vivid imagination as it now left him with a rapidly hardening problem in his breeches. It seemed that Yuuri had thankfully not yet caught on to his predicament and had walked a bit ahead and stopped to examine the roses.

"You tend to this whole garden all on your own?"

"That is correct."

"That's incredible! How do you even have the time?"

Viktor smiled wryly at the young Japanese man.

"I guess you could say that all I have is time."

Yuuri cocked his head to the side, confused by the apparent cryptic comment Viktor had just made.

"How does this garden smell to you?"

Yuuri lifted his nose into the air, closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

"I think that the individual scents of the three flowers work really well together. The bougainvillea adds a bit of sweetness to the rose and the V..Vir...little white flowers have almost no smell to them. It's an absolutely spectacular garden, both a visual and olfactory treat."

"Come with me. There is one more thing I wish for you to see."

Yuuri waited for Viktor to pass him and then followed closely behind him, eyes still scanning the gardens and drinking in all the beauty around him. When Viktor began to slow down in front of him, he heard the next garden feature before he saw it, the sound of falling water filling his ears. As Viktor stepped aside, Yuuri was able to fully see a rather large water fountain, carved from gorgeous Baltic gray marble, with a single solitary winged creature at its center. Yuuri gasped in awe before moving in closer and walking around the circumference of the fountain, scrutinizing its features as he did so. At first, it appeared that the fountain's centerpiece portrayed an expertly carved dragon, sitting back on its haunches and with large open wings. Its eyes were red and shone like rubies, and Yuuri surmised that they likely were rubies. Viktor watched him, curiously silent as he continued his appraisal. Yuuri examined the creature's front feet, its claws digging into the stone beneath them, and then lifted his eyes to look at the stream of water exiting the creature's mouth. He tapped his chin pensively a few times, wheels spinning madly in his brain. Satisfied that he had come to a satisfactory conclusion, he turned to his host and spoke.

"This is a most well-crafted and masterful gargoyle fountain."

Viktor's face lit up with a bright smile, pearly white teeth glistening in the sunlight. He brought his hands together and clapped enthusiastically for the young man.

"Bravo, Yuuri! How did you know it wasn't just a grotesque?"

The young man cleared his throat and picked imaginary fluffs of lint off his midnight-blue brocade vest before carrying on.

"The term gargoyle comes from the French word gargouille, meaning gullet or throat. According to the French legend, 'La Gargouille' was a monster that resembled the typical dragon, with bat-like wings, long neck and fire-breathing abilities. In architecture, gargoyles are notorious for acting as a spout to divert water from roofs and buildings."

Yuuri pointed to the gargoyle's mouth and smiled.

"This is represented by the water coming out of the gargoyle's mouth."

"Very impressive! You are indeed quite knowledgeable for one so young. Do you not think that the gargoyle is out of place in such a delicate garden? What purpose could something so monstrous serve in a sanctuary of peace and tranquility?"

Yuuri looked back at the fountain and shook his head.

"It's actually an interesting contradiction. Gargoyles inherently look like evil creatures, and were previously overly used in the construction of churches and cathedrals to remind humans of the scary things they needed God to protect them from. But gargoyles were actually best known for having supernatural powers to ward off evil. So in a sense, its placement here could not be more perfect."

Viktor nodded, and that heated intensity was instantly back in his cobalt eyes. Yuuri felt pinned, scorched, and branded by that gaze…as if he could burn to ashes right there on the spot. Yuuri swallowed hard, and licked his suddenly rather dry lips. Viktor's eyes dropped slightly to follow the movement, and Yuuri's body was wracked by a wave of propagating tremors.

"Tell me Yuuri, in your opinion, what is the gargoyle's best feature?"

Yuuri turned toward the gargoyle fountain once more, glad to have a distraction from the sudden snaking tendrils of desire winding across his body.

"I think that the gargoyle's best feature is..."

Yuuri stepped up to the fountain and carefully leaned in so that he could reach out and gently run a thumb over one of the bloody-red eyes. He looked back over at Viktor, making a sweeping gesture with his right hand as he addressed the man.

"La Gargouille's fiery quality was transferred to its eyes, wasn't it? What better stone for bringing that to life than one symbolizing the sun and inextinguishable flames!"

So lost was Yuuri in his excitement that he didn't notice his left hand briefly leaving the edge of the fountain. When he tried putting his hand back down without looking, it slipped on the wet marble, unbalancing him and sending him forward toward the water. Yuuri closed his eyes and braced himself for the unavoidable impromptu bath, but what he felt instead was a solid mass behind him, two hands holding firmly at his waist. Yuuri opened his eyes and looked behind him, utterly shocked to see Viktor standing there behind him. How did he get here so fast? He was nearly at the other side of the fountain a second ago! Viktor leaned in, his mouth mere inches from Yuuri's own.

"Yuuri. Is it your goal to constantly keep me on my toes and give me multiple heart attacks in one day? If that is the case, I think you've succeeded."

Yuuri opened his mouth to speak, but instead found himself staring at Viktor's lips. They were so close that he could clearly see their fullness and every delicate little curve and intricate line. They looked so soft, moist and inviting, and for a second all he could think about was how they'd feel pressed against his.

"Perhaps we should go explore the interior of the home now. I think that the sun is a bit too strong today. Let us enjoy the cool comfort of the indoor shade."

Viktor stepped away and Yuuri almost reached out for him on instinct. He managed to catch himself at the last possible second and that seemed to be enough to bring him back to his senses. What the hell is wrong with me? I've been single my whole life and now I'm in a garden making googly eyes with a man I've known for less than 24 hours? Am I just crazy or...

"Yuuri? Are you coming?"

The young man looked up and realized with a start that Viktor was already at the entrance to the house waving at him. He waved back at Viktor and walked briskly over to join him.

…

Yuuri was taken around to a few areas he had already seen but was able to appreciate more fully without exhaustion and hunger weighing so heavily on his body. The dining room and marbled staircase foyer were even more breathtaking in the daylight. In the foyer, the row of Lancet arched stained glass windows positioned about a meter below the ceiling set off a sparkling kaleidoscope of little fractured rainbows. Each shimmering fragment of light seemed to dance along the lines in the marble, creating a ballet of brilliance. Yuuri walked around with his mouth open, so overwhelmed by the staggering opulence and magnificence that he was almost numb.

In a separate wing of the house, a long and wide hall was flanked by dark gray stone walls. Perfectly spaced equilateral arched windows directly faced one another across a vast stretch of dark deep blue marble. It left Yuuri feeling as if he were about to walk on a sea of stone. He stopped by one of the windows, admiring the lattice work of vergettes that took up three-quarters of the windows, culminating in a multi-foil design at the top of the arch. They allowed plenty of natural light into the area and gave him nearly unobstructed views of the flying buttresses outside on the left and the lush green forest to the right. As his eyes darted about the large hall, he spotted nine full-body carvings of rather ethereal-looking women in between each pair of windows. Four women were on the right side and three women were on the right.

As Yuuri stepped up to the first woman, he saw that she held laurels in one hand and what appeared to be two Homeric poems in the other. He knew what they were immediately, for the words had been carved clearly and legibly into the stone. Yuuri walked over to the second woman and saw that she was holding a clarion in her right arm and a book in her left hand. He gasped and turned to face Viktor, his face split in a goofy grin that ran from ear to ear.

"These are the nine Muses aren't they? The first one, that's Calliope the superior Muse! And the second one…that's Clio, the protector of history!"

Viktor laughed, absolutely delighted by Yuuri's boundless enthusiasm.

"Right again, Yuuri! I don't think there's a single thing in my house that can get past your sharp wit!"

Yuuri ran around to each of the nine statues, babbling on excitedly about each one.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh! This one here, she's my favorite!"

Viktor walked over to where Yuuri stood and smiled at the giddy young man next to him.

"Thalia, the protector of sciences. A very fitting choice for one so enchanted by architecture."

"Sweet kami, Viktor. How many more fantastical curiosities does your house hold? I don't know if my heart can take much more of this!"

"Worry not, dear Yuuri. If your heart fails you, I'll be right here to catch you and start it up again."

Yuuri's cheeks colored prettily at the comment and he pretended to fluff out his sleeves as he tried to rein in his racing heart.

"Come now Yuuri, the gem of Moon Lake Manor awaits you."

As Yuuri turned to face the end of the hall, his gaze fell upon a rather artfully plain-looking limestone wall. It looked mostly silvery-white, but had delicate wisps of dark blue woven through it. The closer he got to it, the more his architectural fanboy senses tingled like mad. If there was one thing he had learned about this incredible house was that nothing was what it first seemed. He itched to examine it more closely, but was briefly distracted by all the other elements framing that solitary wall. As he looked up, he noticed the ribbed vault ceiling, and marveled at the intricate patterns created by the supports and the atmosphere it contributed to the space. As he approached the limestone wall, he got a better view of the two heavy-looking oak wood doors set in a Tudor arch. Yuuri was absolutely enamored with all the arches on prominent display around the house. Arches were a very eminent feature of Gothic era architecture, and Yuuri was severely impressed by the clever use of the different types of arches.

Upon closer inspection, the limestone wall revealed its secrets to Yuuri. The surface of the wall had purposely not been polished, and the natural bumps and protrusions in its façade added depth and texture. Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he squinted to get a better look at it. Yuuri covered his mouth with both hands when he realized that what he had assumed were little flowers were actually sea lilies; fossilized remains of little sea creatures. That meant that the limestone in the wall was potentially millions of years old! The young Japanese man didn't have time to recover, for when his eyes set upon the double doors, he saw all nine Muses carved upon them in a scene starring a nearly-nude Apollo at the center, a smug smirk on his face as he played the lyre. Yuuri turned to Viktor, hands clasped together as if in prayer, eyes shining with emotion.

"Please, please, PLEASE tell me that there is a library on the other side of those doors."

"Actually, it's the family mausoleum."

The look on Yuuri's face was so simultaneously crestfallen and mortified that Viktor genuinely felt a pang of guilt for deceiving him.

"It's quite a marvel of architecture. I'm sure you'll find it rather intriguing."

Visibly deflated, Yuuri nodded and shuffled morosely backward so that Viktor could open the doors. The ancient vampire easily pulled the two doors apart with a flourish and gestured for Yuuri to step through them. The young man did so, head down and eyes to the floor.

"Come now Yuuri, you're being disrespectful to my ancestors."

That had apparently been just the right thing to say to get Yuuri's attention. His head immediately snapped up and his mouth began to form the apology. His eyes caught up to his mouth and it was the most entertaining metamorphosis Viktor had witnessed in potentially his whole lifetime.

"Kami I'm SO sorry Viktor, I …

...

…

holy shit is **IS** a library!"

Yuuri grabbed hold of Viktor's left arm and shook it as he almost jumped up and down with elation.

"You tricked me, Viktor! Kami, I'm SO happy you tricked me! This is...this is..."

Yuuri was rendered speechless as his eyes tried to see everything at once. The library walls were made of more of the same ancient limestone and was flooded with sunlight from all the arched windows. The glass in them had a slightly purple tinge to it, taking the harsh edges off the light. The ceiling was supported by several thick columns, branching out in expertly carved fan vaults There was a stone fireplace right in the middle and extremely comfortable-looking chaises, sofas and daybeds nearby. The indoor installations and furniture were rich mahogany wood and Yuuri's eyes followed the stairway three stories up. The whole place was wall-to-wall books and he felt absolutely dwarfed by its massiveness. Viktor seemed to sense that he was feeling overwhelmed, and steered him toward one of the comfy nearby sofas so they could sit down.

"It's...beautiful."

"Thank you, Yuuri. It pleases me greatly that you love my home so."

"How many of these books have you even read?"

"All of them."

Yuuri's jaw dropped for the umpteenth time that day and he stared incredulously at the man.

"You...can't...be...serious! That's impossible! There's easily over a hundred thousand books in here!"

The silver-haired man shrugged as he looked blankly around the room.

"All I have is time."

Viktor felt one of his hands being lifted and was surprised to see Yuuri holding it in both of his own, and pressing it against his cheek. He suddenly looked really sad and Viktor had no idea why.

"Yuuri, why are..."

"Have you been lonesome here all by yourself Viktor? I saw it in your eyes just now. You looked so desperately lonely that it broke my heart."

Viktor was positively astounded. Had Yuuri really been able to figure him out with one fleeting and passing look in his eyes? Had he simply let his guard down around the human and allowed himself to express more than he normally would? Viktor turned his hand around until the palm was cupping Yuuri's face.

"Tell me Yuuri, if I said that I was lonely and starving for companionship...would you stay here with me forever?"

**_terminology_**

**grotesque** \- a carving usually of a demon, dragon, or half human/half animal, serving no utilitarian purpose. Often confused with gargoyles.

**Description of gothic era architectural elements:**

1\. 

2.  . 

**Dark blue marble** \-  dark-deep-blue-marble/s20746

**vergettes** \- thin vertical and horizontal bars of iron, placed inside the window to reinforce the glass.

**Nine Muses** \-  /humanities/Muses-Nine-Goddesses-of-Greek-Mythology

**Limestone used in outer library wall.** -mvpYapPzWZU/UGsui8I52tI/AAAAAAAAIjU/CwxNqITIFrUvV6h05-NygxE2apFejcezwCHM/s720/00251%2BIMG_5740%2Blimestone% 

**Sea lily** \- image/e4420392/800wm/E4420392-Fossil_crinoid_or_sea_


	4. chapter 4

Yuuri's eyes grew impossibly wide as he stared, disbelieving, at the silver-haired man directly in front of him.Had he heard correctly? Did Viktor just invite him to live in his impossibly luxurious Gothic manor for what sounded like…forever? Why did it seem like a proposal? How wasn't he feeling more shocked about it? And more importantly, why hadn't he immediately shot the idea down?

Viktor watched quietly as Yuuri's conflicting thoughts and emotions played out on his face and in his eyes. He had come across countless deceitful and conniving humans in his time, and they always had guarded stares. He had the ability to smell a human's deceit, but their eyes always gave it away, if you knew what to look for. It was refreshing to see a human who wore everything so clearly on his face.

"What troubles you, Yuuri?"

The young man was startled out of his inner turmoil by the seemingly sudden question. He stood up abruptly, Viktor's hand sliding unceremoniously from his face. He began to pace nervously back and forth, fidgeting with the cuffs of his sleeves as he did so.

"Yuuri?"

The young man whipped around to face the immortal being currently seated on the sofa, his eyes red and brimming with tears.

"I…c-can't! I'm sorry, Viktor…I want…but I'm…just…"

Yuuri's affliction set something off in Viktor…some primal drive to protect and soothe. He did not like the salty smell of tears marring the young one's delectable natural scent. Normally, he relished the erratic sounds of a distressed heart…especially right before he cornered his prey for a feeding. He detested them on Yuuri though and did not want to hear them coming from him. Viktor abruptly rose to his feet and pulled the young man into his arms, embracing him tightly as he smoothed a hand gently over his silken ebony tresses.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. What has you so distraught, young one?"

Yuuri melted into Viktor's hold, trembling slightly as he fought for composure. He took a few calming breaths, and once he had finally managed to still himself, he pulled away a bit so that he could look up into the molten pools of lapis lazuli of the man currently holding him in his arms.

"I apologize for falling apart on you like that. I get a bit emotional sometimes, it's always been a weakness of mine."

Viktor gave Yuuri a reassuring squeeze as he shook his head.

"I don't think that having emotions and being able to display them so honestly is a weakness, it makes you sincere and genuine. Humans don't have many redeeming qualities, but those two are the ones I can actually respect."

Viktor brought his gloved hand up to Yuuri's face once more, smiling when the young man sighed and his eyes fluttered closed. A pleased subsonic growl bubbled up at the back of his throat, stirring up his inner beast.He responds so well to me.

"Tell me, Yuuri. Why were you so upset just now?"

The young man's eyes remained closed as he nodded and began to speak.

"I grew up in a hot spring resort that my parents have been managing for most of their married life together. It had always been assumed that, as the only male heir, I would inherit the resort and run it so that my parents could retire. But I had always been much more interested in knowing how the resort was built and the inner workings of the structure. I fell in love with architecture and knew that I would never be able to become what they wanted me to be. They've been mostly supportive, but I've always wondered if they were just secretly hoping that I would fail, give up on this silly dream, and just accept my fate."

Yuuri finally opened his eyes and looked up at Viktor with determination shining brightly in his eyes.

"I fought tooth and nail to get accepted into the University here. I spent every waking moment I had studying and learning. I gave up any hope for a social life, and even lost some good friends over the relentless pursuit of my dream. I had to prove it to my family that I could do it, but most importantly…I had to prove it to myself. To show that my instincts weren't wrong and that I'm on the right path. I couldn't possibly give up after all that! I can't stop until I've graduated with that degree in my hand."

And suddenly, Viktor understood. Yuuri, sweet caring Yuuri, was battling himself over his desire to be there for him and his desire to pursue his own dreams. Viktor chuckled as he flicked Yuuri's forehead gently with his index finger.

"Silly, Yuuri. I don't recall ever asking you for anything so drastic as giving up on your dreams. Forgive me, you caught me in a bit of a wistful moment. I didn't intend for you to become so upset."

Yuuri smiled, the relief clearly washing over his face. He stepped away from Viktor's arms, rubbing his eyes sheepishly as he nodded enthusiastically.

"You're welcome here any time you wish, Yuuri. I will always be thrilled to have your company."

"Thank you, Viktor. That makes me truly happy. I won't be able to come during the weekdays, my course load is just too heavy. But I would gladly keep you company on the weekends."

Viktor smiled and felt quite satisfied with the pleasant turn of events. Every single instinct he had was screaming at him to keep Yuuri by his side and not let him out of his sight ever again. He could have easily and quite simply ordered Yuuri to stay with him, but his conquest was going be that much sweeter with the young man returning of his own volition.

"That would please me greatly, Yuuri. I'm honored that you would find me worthy of spending your limited free time with."

The young man blushed and looked away shyly before bringing his hand up to his mouth as he cleared his throat.

"Ah…well, there's also this amazing house I haven't had my fill of yet. I'm very much looking forward to exploring every inch of it."

Viktor gasped as he brought a hand up to his chest and tried to look indignant.

"Yuuri, are you just using me to get into my house? I've had countless people try to get into my pants, but never my house."

The young man in question reddened immediately and sputtered incoherently for a few seconds as he waved his hands out in front of him.

"N-n-n-n-no! Of course not! You're great company, truly! Your house is just a big bonus!"

"So your intentions are honorable, Yuuri Katsuki? Do you truly want to spend time with me or are you going to try to get into my pants as well?"

Yuuri's face grew impossibly redder, and he brought his hands up in an attempt to hide his spiraling embarrassment. Viktor walked over to the flustered young man, sensing an opportunity to move in for the kill.

"I'm usually quite guarded about who gets into my pants, I'll have you know."

Viktor moved in even closer, his lips lightly brushing over one of Yuuri's hot and reddened ears.

"But I'd absolutely make an exception for you, Yuuri. I'd gladly allow you into my pants if that's what you wanted. You're more than welcome to explore every inch of what's inside."

Yuuri squeaked and Viktor laughed, all but seeing the steam emanating from the young man.

"Stay here, and go ahead and take a look around the library. I'll go make us some tea."

The blue-eyed vampire left Yuuri to his own devices, giving him some much-needed time to recover. When he returned, he found the young man sitting at the polished oak desk, a pile of books just off to his right. He was rather engrossed in whatever he was reading and did not hear Viktor come back in. The vampire set the tea tray silently down on the coffee table and sneaked up stealthily behind Yuuri, leaning in close and resting his chin on the young man's right shoulder as he tried to look at what he was reading. Yuuri was a bit startled at first but settled back down quickly once he realized that it was just Viktor.

"Oh, I see you found theDe re aedificatoria."

Yuuri nodded slowly as he ran his hands reverently over the slightly frayed and yellowed pages of the first known book on architecture.

"Viktor, is this….is this the original book?"

"Yes Yuuri, it is."

A soft gasp made its way past the young Japanese man's lips and Yuuri's hands trembled slightly as he turned the pages of the book.

"It was printed in 1486, how the hell have you managed to keep it maintained in such pristine condition?"

"I guess you could say it's been in my family for countless generations."

Yuuri gestured to the pile of books on the table, you've got publications from Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, Frederick Apthorp Paley, and William Whewell. You have every architecture student's dream in here, and more."

"They're all at your disposal, Yuuri. Please feel free to make use of any resource in the library you deem fit. I just ask that you please keep all the books in here and not take them out of the property, since this place has been specifically designed for their preservation."

Yuuri nodded vigorously at Viktor as his eyes scanned the massive library.

"I wouldn't ever dream of doing anything that would potentially cause damage to your books. You have a massive treasure trove of information here. I feel so utterly privileged to just be in the presence of such amazing books."

The two men moved to the coffee table and sat down to have their afternoon tea. Yuuri asked seemingly endless questions about the house. How it was built, how long it had taken and what the design inspirations were. He kept apologizing for being so overly curious about everything, but Viktor simply smiled and patiently answered each one. As Yuuri stared wistfully out the window, he sighed heavily before turning to face Viktor once more.

"It pains me to say this, but I must be getting back into town and get myself ready for the week. I still need to finish up an assignment, and my roommate is probably worried about me. I haven't messaged him yet to let him know that I'm okay and survived the night."

"Yuuri, I'm sorry to have to impose such a request on you, but it's very important that you do not tell anyone about my house or the things that you have seen here. I'm a very private individual and if people discovered this place, they would want to turn it into a museum or something equally atrocious. My peace and quiet would be irrevocably disturbed and my sanctuary would be ruined."

Yuuri smiled as he bobbed his head up and down vigorously.

"I understand completely."

The young man's cheeks then colored slightly and he looked down shyly at his hands as he tapped his two index fingers together.

"I don't think I want...other people here either. Part of me is secretly quite pleased that I'm the only one that knows about this place. I don't…want to share it with anyone else."

Viktor was somewhat surprised by the young one's admission. He had been expecting some form of resistance but was even more delighted to discover that Yuuri wanted to keep everything to himself. The primal beast within Viktor practically purred at the young one's show of possessiveness.

"That is rather reassuring Yuuri, thank you. Now, let's get you back to the guest room so you can get your things ready. I'll walk you to the parking lot."

After carefully removing the clothes Viktor had provided him with, he folded them up neatly and placed them on the lush bedding. He then changed into the clean set he'd brought along and quickly gathered all his belongings. He fired off a quick message to Phichit to let him know that he was okay and would be coming home soon. He gave the lavish furnishings one last admiring sweep and then made his way down the hall.

He walked down the marble staircase one last time, running his hand slowly along the banister and savoring its cold smooth surface. He knew that he would get the chance to see it and enjoy it again, but wanted to commit every detail to memory regardless. When he looked up, he saw that Viktor was standing at the foot of the stairs. The man was dressed in a pair of jeans that fit his body so criminally well that Yuuri thought for a brief moment that they must have certainly been painted on. He had on a simple hooded black sweatshirt and a pair of too-white sneakers that looked as if they had never actually been used. It was strange to see the man in modern-looking fare since he'd only worn Gothic era vestments the whole day he'd known him.

"Do you find that these clothes suit me better than my other ones, Yuuri?"

Yuuri blushed, abashed at having been caught staring.

"They do suit you very well, that's true. But I think the ones you had on before look even better on you."

The silver-haired man brought an index finger up to his lips and nodded.

"I'm going to have to agree with you on that one, Yuuri. I feel much more comfortable in them as well. Alas, they're not very appropriate for hiking in the woods, so I had to find something else to wear. I'm looking forward to slipping back into them upon my return."

"Well, let's not keep you waiting, then!"

They hiked through the woods quickly and made it back to the parking lot in record time. Viktor knew a lot of shortcuts and navigated them expertly through dense brush, around ponds, and past flowering fields. He had pointed out various birds and animals to him along the way, and Yuuri had been utterly delighted to photograph them all. It all felt so strange to him, being so comfortable in Viktor's presence. He didn't usually develop such levels of affinity with complete strangers. He was usually actually quite shy and closed off to others. Viktor was very easy to talk to and he felt rather inexplicably drawn to the man with the striking features. Conversation flowed naturally between them and only hit a snag when Viktor had seen what Yuuri was driving. The disapproval had lit up his face the instant his eyes had settled on the motorbike.

"Yuuri. This...this vehicular vessel of death is what you have chosen to drive here in Russia?"

The young man sighed and shrugged helplessly as he unlocked the seat and removed his helmet.

"It's not the most ideal mode of transportation, I realize that. I've watched enough 'Crazy Russian Drivers' compilations to know exactly what would be awaiting me here. But I am on a student budget and it was all that I could afford. It also gives me the freedom I need."

Viktor eyed the two-wheeled vehicle with absolute disdain but refrained from saying anything else about it.

"Please drive safe, Yuuri. I look forward to having you as a guest at my home next weekend. Here is my number, please ring me when you are ready to come over."

Viktor handed Yuuri a piece of paper and the young man immediately tucked it into the inner breast pocket of his motorcycle jacket. Once they'd finished saying their goodbyes, Yuuri revved the throttle and drove out of the parking lot and onto the main road. He watched his mirror as Viktor's form grew smaller and smaller until it was no longer visible. He then turned his focus toward the road ahead and made his way home. Viktor waited patiently until the motorbike was fully out of sight, and then called out into the night.

"Makkachin."

The vampire werewolf crawled out of the thick foliage surrounding the parking lot and came to stand next to his vampire master.

"We're going to follow Yuuri home and make sure he arrives in one piece. I'd also like you to know where he lives in case I require you to watch over him for me. Is this acceptable to you?"

The creature nodded, its limbs lengthening and its snout elongating as he took on an appearance that was a hybrid between his concealing canine form and his true form. It would be much more comfortable to run in, but wouldn't necessarily draw too much attention. The wilds of Russia were crawling with wolves, and most locals wouldn't bat an eyelash if they spotted anything large and dog-shaped out in the night.

"It is very clear that the young human has drawn your interest and that you wish to monitor his safety and whereabouts. He is a rather interesting specimen, and I must admit that I am quite curious about him, and what it is about him that draws you to him. Besides, it's been a rather long while since we last went on a run together, and I'm….looking forward to it."

Viktor looked over at the fellow creature of the night, the surprise clearly etched on his face.

"Makka…I had no idea. Why didn't you say something? I would have gladly gone on a run with you had you simply wished for it."

Makkachin pawed at the ground, feigning interest in something or other as he avoided eye contact with his master.

"It is not…my place to demand things from you."

Viktor reached out, scratching at the one magical spot behind Makkachin's ear he knew had the power to reduce him to a pile of foot-thumping goo.

"You may see me as your master, but I have no desire for a companion who blindly follows orders out some warped sense of duty. I've never looked down upon you as such, and am more than willing to give you anything that is within my power to grant you. I also enjoy running with you, please do not hold back on me again."

Once Makkachin had recovered from his master's affection, he nodded, apologized and then promised that he would not hesitate to ask for what he needed in the future. The two immortal beings immediately set out into the night, both hot on the trail of Yuuri Katsuki's scent. Their superhuman speed carried them effortlessly through the dense forest that ran along the highway. They were able to easily follow the young man's scent trail from a safe distance away, careful to avoid detection. Life was a bit more challenging these days for creatures like themselves. There were cameras just about everywhere, and smartphones made it easy for just about anyone to capture incriminating evidence on the spot. It was one of the reasons why Viktor had cut down on such excursions over the last 25 years or so.

Tonight he was feeling a degree of freedom he hadn't experienced in a very long time, and it was the most satisfying and liberating sensation. The cool night air whipped past him as he sped along, his silver tresses coming alive with each stride. It was at times like this that he missed the long hair he'd had as a human. He sometimes had waking dreams of his old human life. His hair had been his pride and joy at the time and one of the things that many considered made him beautiful. His long silver hair had been one of the reasons why Lilia had chosen to 'spare' him, so of course he'd cut it off with his claws as soon as he'd realized what he'd become. He has not allowed his hair to grow long ever since.

Viktor felt a bit awkward and rusty at first, using muscles that hadn't been worked in decades. But the feeling soon passed and he quickly regained his old running form. Makkachin kept pace next to him, his lolling tongue flapping wildly in the wind, a testament to his enjoyment. Sharp branches, poisonous plants and razor-sharp leaves had no effect on the pair, and they plowed through the savage land as if on a stroll through a city park. As he raced the night, Viktor realized that he had been denying himself of basic simple pleasures by keeping himself locked up in his massive estate. Worse yet, he had also denied Makkachin, and had forced him to be as miserably confined as he was. He would not neglect Makkachin, nor himself ever again.

As they got closer to the urban city area, they slowed down and assumed a more human pace. Viktor pulled up the hood on his sweatshirt, covering his hair as to avoid drawing attention to himself. Next to him, Makkachin reverted back to his standard poodle form. They hugged the shadows, moving quickly and efficiently as they made their way through the island district of Vasileostrovsky. They stuck to the outskirts, walking along the dimly lit Makarova embankment. Makkachin stopped periodically to sniff at the air and check the direction Yuuri's scent was coming from.

A few directional adjustments later, and they found themselves in the metropolitan area.

Viktor looked around in awe, alarmed by how much had actually changed since he'd last been in town. The place reeked of humans and all the filth that was associated with them. He brought a hand up to cover his mouth and nose as the stench burned his nostrils. He was instantly reminded of why he'd chosen to live so far away from humans. He longed for the fresher air of his woodland home and had plans to return immediately as soon as he saw where Yuuri lived. Makkachin's lips curled back and away from his teeth in a clear sign of distaste as he also struggled with the fetor of humanity.

"The more advanced humans become, the more feculence they surround themselves with. The more they take from the environment and defile it."

Viktor concurred with the creature beside him.

"Agreed. I may have been cursed with immortality and a never-ending thirst for blood, but I am glad to not be considered one ofthemanymore."

They walked casually down the streets, glad that there weren't that many people out and about on a Sunday evening. They came upon the area immediately surrounding the university, just in time to see Yuuri pulling into a parking lot by a row of buildings.

"Ah, he made it safely. I am relieved."

Viktor looked around and determined that the buildings were most likely student housing. The area was relatively safe compared to the rest of St. Petersburg, and he spotted several guards stationed at crucial entrances and checkpoints. With so many international students attending the institution, it made sense that the government would do its best to protect them. Murdered exchange students tended to lead to diplomatic nightmares. He felt better knowing that Yuuri was living somewhere decent. Humans killed for such trivial things, and this city had some of the worst.

Both of them watched from the shadows as Yuuri parked his bike and made his way to one of the nearby buildings. The young man stopped and looked around nervously, seemingly aware that he was being watched. Viktor couldn't help but smile.He is aware of his surroundings, good.Yuuri squinted in their direction but did not have eyes powerful to spot them. He eventually turned away and went into the building.

"We know where he lives now, our mission is complete. Let's leave this area and get as far away as possible from the stink of humans. Shall we swim our way back? It's been quite a while since we've done that as well."

Makkachin brightened visibly at the suggestion and set off wordlessly in the direction of the Neva River. Viktor fell into step with the volkodlaka, smiling secretly as he spotted a visibly wagging tail nubbin'.

Yuuri put the key in the door and looked over his shoulder one last time before turning it. He had just finished parking his bike when he'd felt the hairs at the back of his neck prickling and standing on end. He had looked around for the culprit, suspicious of the shadows blanketing the edges of the parking lot in darkness. He hadn't been able to see anything or anyone, but couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was being watched. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it as he turned the key to his shared accommodations with Phichit.I'm being paranoid and ridiculous.There's nothing there, I'm just imagining things.He pushed his way into the dorm room and was immediately greeted by his highly excitable roommate.

"Yuuri! Welcome home! How was your camping trip?"

Yuuri smiled at the young Thai man as he set his backpack on the floor. He stowed his helmet and motorcycle jacket in the nearby closet and then turned to address him.

"It was great! It's incredibly beautiful out there and I really enjoyed being in the middle of it all."

"Were you able to sleep okay?"

Yuuri chose his next words carefully, and thought of a way to get away with telling the truth, but not the whole truth.

"I was surprisingly quite comfortable last night."

"That sounds awesome! Did you take a shit-ton of pictures?"

"I did. I'll gladly show them to you in a bit. Right now, I'm in desperate need of a shower and some dinner."

"Go ahead and take your shower, then. I'll take care of dinner. You can pay me back my cooking for us tomorrow."

Yuuri nodded, grateful that he had such an agreeable roommate.

"It's a deal."

Yuuri showered, ate the deliciously spicy pad Thai dinner his roommate had prepared and then showed him all his pictures. Then he took his dirty clothes down to the communal laundry and finished up his assignment as he waited for them to be washed and dried. Around 11 PM that night, his fatigue finally caught up with him and his eyes began to flutter closed on their own. He quickly brushed his teeth, set his alarm and crawled into his warm and comfortable bed for the night. He was out cold the moment his head touched the pillow.

He was in a dark room somewhere, probably in someone's house. He could make out the darkened silhouettes of various types of furniture, but not much else. He wished that he could see where he was. No sooner had the thought formulated in his mind then a lantern suddenly appeared in his right hand. He turned his body to the left and then to the right, trying to gather any details he could about his surroundings. He spotted a torn painting on the wall and instantly felt drawn to it. A strange sensation overtook him before he could reach it and he spun around to search for its source.

Blue eyes floated into his field of vision, completely filling it and eclipsing everything else. They were such exotically beautiful eyes, a vast turbulent sea trapped in each stunning iris. He stood rooted to the spot, helplessly sinking into their fathomless depths. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would drown in them, but couldn't bring himself to care. He fell deeper and deeper into their alluring expanse, allowing himself to be consumed and submerged.

The eyes then suddenly turned red, and he found himself longing for the blue ones. He knew that he should have been scared, red was a scary color after all. But the longer he stared, the more appealing he found them. They were like a pair of glistening garnet orbs, their unfaltering gaze cutting deep into his soul and leaving him exposed to the world. The red eyes got closer and his body trembled with anticipation. They were dangerously too close…too close. He saw something white shimmering in the darkness and tried to make a sound. His body wouldn't move. His mouth wouldn't move. All he could see was the red, all red. Red like blood, bloody red.

A sharp pain was felt on the side of his neck and he heard himself screaming inside his own mind. His heart lurched wildly in his chest and panic threatened to overwhelm him. And then...then the pain was banished from him completely and all he could feel was a surge of immense pleasure. A gurgled moan bubbled up from the back of his throat and he felt himself getting utterly lost in the sensation. He wanted more...he needed more red, bloody red.

Yuuri….Yuuri….Yuuri….

Yuuri sat up abruptly in his bed, his body covered in a thin sheen of sweat and his hair plastered to his forehead. There was knocking coming from his bedroom door and he could hear Phichit calling out his name.

"You've slept through both of your alarms, Yuuri. Are you alright in there? You're going to be late for class!"

Yuuri threw the blankets off his body, instantly awake and in a panic. He saw that he was half-hard in his boxers and groaned in frustration. He didn't have time to deal withthatright now. His right hand reached blindly for the glasses on the nightstand and his left hand searched frantically for his phone. He checked the time and was instantly relieved that he still had enough time to get ready and make it to class on time if he skipped breakfast.

"Yeah, I'm fine Phichit! I must have just overslept. Thanks for checking on me, I owe you one!"

Soft laughter was heard on the other side of the door.

"You sure do! Have a good one, Yuuri. Gotta go!"

Yuuri heard the sound of the front door closing and knew Phichit had left the dorm. He took off his lightly damp pair of boxers and scrambled to throw on a clean pair. He forced his brain to think of every possible turn-off until his dick finally gave up and went back to sleep. He then pulled on a pair of stonewashed blue jeans and a navy blue sweater. He hastily brushed his hair, leaving it to fall messily over the rim of his glasses. He brushed his teeth in record time and thanked his lucky stars that he always packed his schoolbag the night before. It already contained everything he was going to need that day, so he just grabbed it and slung it over one shoulder. As he walked past the kitchen, he spotted a Corny Big chocolate cereal bar and grabbed it. The name always made him laugh, but they tasted pretty good and would give his stomach something to process until first period ended and he'd have the time to get something proper. He checked his pockets to make sure he had his keys, and then bolted out of the dorm.

He made it to class with two minutes to spare. He ate his muesli bar as he dug through his bag for his assignment. Once he'd handed it in, he settled into his usual Monday routine, his strange dream all but forgotten. As the day wore on, he began feeling a dull sort of ache on the left side of his neck. He stopped in the men's room to check it for any bruising, but found nothing outwardly wrong. It wasn't overly painful, just constant and unrelenting. His hand kept coming up to it, as rubbing it seemed to be the only way to get any respite. When his day was finally over, he went back to his dorm and filled a hot water bag and placed it on his neck, sighing as he was hit with relief. He took some pain meds and cooked some udon chicken noodle soup with assorted veggies, and set aside a healthy portion for Phichit. He left him a note stating that he was home, he was fine, and was going to bed early that night. He showered, made sure his things were all in order and then crawled into bed. Once again, he was asleep within seconds.

His neck hurt and he could feel himself rapidly growing weaker, feel his life force being literally sucked right out of him. He should have been terrified, he should have been fighting back...but all he could focus on was the pleasure currently flooding his entire body. He could feel his hardened cock straining against the confines of his pants, eagerly leaking and soaking the surrounding material. The pleasure seeped into his veins, settling there for a brief moment before sinking even deeper into his bones. It was the most intense sensation he'd ever felt in his whole life and he soon found himself ejaculating in his pants. He should have been ashamed, embarrassed...something. But all he could think about was howgoodit felt.

His knees grew too weak to support him any longer, and he knew the end was near. He managed to lift a hand up and felt what should have been a face. Except, it couldn't possibly be a face...it was cold and smooth like marble. He couldn't bring himself to care, though...and with one last sigh, he relinquished his hold on life.

He floated in the darkness for what felt like ages, until a comforting white light appeared at the end and he began walking toward it. He didn't knowhowhe knew, but he knew that good things waited for him on the other side of that light. As he floated toward it, he felt a familiar presence in the space with him. He turned around and saw the red eyes again. A hand was held out to him and he heard the words "Come back to me" echoing in his head. He looked at the white light and then back at the pair of glowing red eyes. As his entire body shuddered, he knew instantly that there was only one choice for him. He walked back toward the red eyes and took the offered hand in his.

Something cold, thick and oily filled his mouth, and he almost choked on it. He wanted nothing more thank to spit it out and get away from its source, but it dribbled down his throat instead. He felt an intense stomach cramp, like someone had just violently kicked him in the gut. It was the last thing he felt before his senses exploded. He was suddenly feeling more alive than he'd ever felt before. His insides were on fire and it was as if his blood had been replaced by molten lava. Darkness gave way to light and he saw those red eyes once again right in front of him. As pleased as he was to see them, he saw...then smelled something much more enticing. Dark red fluid leaked out from the red-eyed one's wrist, and he wanted it. He felt strange for wanting it, heard some small voice at the back of his head telling him it was wrong to want it, but he didn't pay it any heed.

He grabbed the wrist and brought it to his lips, suckling hungrily at the delicious fluid. It tasted divine, better than any wine he'd ever tasted, and he didn't think he could ever have his fill of it. The red-eyed one seemed pleased at first, an excited sound emanating from its throat. He responded with a sound of his own and then the red-eyed one seemed even more pleased. He continued drinking, but then the red-eyed one tried to pull his hand away. Not ready to relinquish his treat, he held on more tightly. The red-eyed one became displeased and the next thing he knew, he felt teeth on his throat once more. He was instantly dominated, readily submitting once he'd realized the red-eyed one's overwhelming power.

The red-eyed one was pleased again and he was confused. What did the red-eyed one want? Was he pleased with him or not? The red-eyed one leaned in close and licked at his lips and his face. It felt good. He wanted more. He tried to tell the red-eyed one what he wanted. The red-eyed one understood, and soon his lips were covering his own, and moved over them in a bewitching and hypnotic dance. Something fleshy came into his mouth and it was pure bliss. The red-eyed one then pulled away from him, ending things much too soon for his liking. He wanted more, but the red-eyed one had already decided. Those red eyes bore into him once more, relieving him of his own thoughts and free will. Words were spoken and he suddenly felt very tired. His eyes slowly closed and then his world fell into darkness.

Yuuri bolted upright in his bed, his body drenched in sweat and his heart pounding madly in his chest. His room was still dark and checking his phone told him it was only just after 3 AM. His neck hurt worse than ever and he was extremely annoyed to find himself painfully hard. He knew he'd just had an incredibly messed up dream, but was already struggling to remember the rapidly fading details. Once his heart had settled into a more normal rhythm, he reached for the bottle of water he kept on the nightstand and drained it completely in a few gulps. He got out of bed and grabbed a t-shirt from the hamper to dry the sweat off his body. He dried his hair with it and was about to change into a new pair of boxers when he realized that he would probably not be able to fall back asleep until he dealt with his currentlyveryawake cock. He pulled the boxer shorts down and off his hips and then took his engorged flesh into his hand. He moved his hand quickly and efficiently over himself, aiming to resolve the issue as soon as possible so that he could get back to sleep. About a minute and one large grunt later, he emptied himself into his already-soiled boxers. He cleaned himself up and put on a fresh pair before crawling back into bed. He was feeling extremely unsettled and the pain in his neck seemed to increase yet again. As Yuuri tossed and turned on his bed, he wondered what the hell was going on.

terminology_

De re aedificatoria: is a classic architectural treatise written by Leon Battista Albertibetween 1443 and 1452. It was the first theoretical book on the subject written in the Italian Renaissance, and in 1485 it became the first printed book on architecture. It was followed in 1486 with the first printed edition of Vitruvius.

Corny Big chocolate muesli bar:https//photo_70711248_moscow-russia-february-1-2017-corny-big-chocolate-flavor-muesli-bar-isolated-on-white-background-fla.html


	5. Chapter 5

Yuuri Katsuki was a dime-a-dozen architecture student at St. Petersburg State University. He was hard-working, dedicated, studious…and currently on the verge of losing his damn mind. His life was in absolute turmoil, and it was only Wednesday. At night, he was slowly and sweetly being tortured by the most vivid and erotic dreams he'd ever had in his entire life. He was going through boxers and bedsheets at breakneck speed, all while struggling to get everything washed without Phichit suspecting that there was anything wrong. During the day, his neck throbbed painfully, distracting him from his studies.

He was currently sitting in Architecture Drafting and Design class, struggling to focus and pay attention to the lecturer, but failing miserably. The dream from last night had been particularly lucid and was unlike the others in the sense that he still clearly remembered all the details, even so many hours after waking up. To say that he had been shocked by the contents of those dreams was a complete and utter understatement. As his mind relived scenes from the dream for what was likely the millionth time that morning, his face went atomic fallout red and blood rushed south, making his jeans uncomfortably tight once more. Yuuri took a few deep and calming breaths and shook his head in a herculean effort to clear the images and will that certain part of him back to sleep. Slowly but surely, that certain part of him seemed to quiet back down once more, and he was able to make it through the rest of the class…just barely. As soon as the class was over, however, he bolted for the nearest men's room and holed himself up in a securely-locked stall.

His neck was throbbing something fierce and his dick seemed to be swelling rhythmically in response. He clumsily unbuttoned his pants, his hands shaking and fumbling things in his haste to get them off. Finally free, he allowed them to fall around his ankles before leaning over the toilet bowl and taking his hardened flesh into his right hand. He then leaned forward and braced himself on the wall in front of him with his left hand in a sort of half-superman pose. The flimsy mental barrier he'd managed to set up for himself earlier broke, and the images from the dream flooded back into his mind once more. He scrunched his eyes closed and whimpered at the immediate and powerful effect they had on him.

_/start dream recall sequence/_

His body was on fire, a deep and ardent blaze that left him feeling as if he were smoldering from the inside. His skin blazed with heat, embers seemingly oozing from his every pore and igniting as they swirled and danced across its surface. He was so very uncomfortably hot, pain shooting up from his bones as if his marrow had been replaced by molten lava. He felt like he was dying, slowly being roasted alive in his own body.

And then, he was saved. As he'd been reaching out blindly in the hazy darkness, he came in contact with something cold. Words cannot describe the relief that the coldness instantly brought him. He latched onto it and held on as if his life depended on it. Something deep inside him told him that it probably did. The coldness quieted the flames somewhat, and brought him clarity. He was finally able to see, the scene slowly bleeding in from the edges of his sight as his vision returned to him. To his sheer astonishment, directly in front of him…was Viktor. Kami, the foreign man was devastatingly handsome. He recalled the instant attraction he'd had to the man, and how he'd been rendered awestruck by his exotic features the moment he'd burst into his bedroom that Sunday morning. Just looking at him did things to his body he had never experienced while looking at anyone else. That attraction bubbled up inside him and he was a bit surprised to suddenly find himself as naked as the day he was born, severely aroused, and holding Viktor's hand. Normally, he'd be mortified and trying to hide in shame at finding himself in such an impossible situation, but was instead strangely and helplessly enthralled. He was completely lost to lust at the moment and could only stare wantonly at the alluring man with the short silver hair and the stunning ruby-red eyes.

As the fires raged on within him, he sought out more of that soothing coldness. He brought Viktor's hand up to his face, sighing as the palm side splayed out against his feverish skin. Then he heard his name and the next thing he knew, soothing icy hands were running along his face, neck and upper chest. He closed his eyes and savored the cooling sensation on his skin, imagining the steam that was practically rising from all the places his skin was in contact with Viktor's. The delectable sensation ceased abruptly and he was boiling again, bereft of the frosty solace. He thankfully wasn't left alone for very long, for suddenly Viktor was also naked and in bed next to him. His mind couldn't quite comprehend why Viktor felt so cold, or why it felt so damn good to him, but he craved it and felt as if he couldn't live without it. His modesty be damned, if this was a dream…then he might as well take full advantage of the scenario presented before him.

He pushed his body flush against Viktor's and wrapped his arms around the man's waist. He felt a soft and gentle snuffling against his hair and the action further spurred him on. He decided to be a bit bolder and began grinding his arousal against Viktor's own. He was feeling pretty good about how things were going until he heard a feral-sounding growl and immediately stilled, freezing in place at the sound_. Shit! Was Viktor mad? Was it too much? Was he being too forward? Did Viktor actually not want this?_ Something reassuring was said and he was able to relax, even daring to lift his head to stare into Viktor's glowing red orbs. He licked his lips as he stared, begging for something he couldn't name. He was woefully inexperienced when it came down to all things sex, and this dream was the closest he'd ever been to the deed. It felt so irrefutably real, more so than any dream should feel. His thoughts came to a screeching halt when Viktor began grinding back against him, and he descended into the depths of ecstasy. Kami, the man's body was pure sin and bliss. Viktor's hands were on his hips and pulled him repeatedly and mercilessly toward his wintry body, causing their hardened cocks to grind and slide indecently against one another. He could hear the bawdy and salacious noises being emitted from his own mouth and felt himself getting more aroused at how obscene he sounded. He _should_ have been burning up with embarrassment, but instead melted under the heat of his desire. Then, without warning, he was on his back and Viktor was straddling him, taking them both into his hand.

His soul nearly separated from his physical body at the touch. There was pleasure, _so_ much pleasure. He'd never had any hand on his cock but his own, and suddenly having it in Viktor's hand and pushed up against the man's eagerly pulsing cock was almost too much for him to bear. He could feel himself writhing shamelessly on the bed and heard his own lewd moans reverberating off the walls in the room. His whole body thrummed with euphoria, and his mind was so overwhelmed with delirium that he couldn't think straight anymore. He barely registered being pulled upright and settled onto Viktor's lap, and the next thing he knew he was being expertly kissed, luscious lips dancing hypnotically over his own.

A metallic tang filled his mouth and he was hit with the fleeting realization that he must have cut his lips or something. He didn't have too much time to contemplate this new development though, because when they finally pulled apart, Viktor's red eyes were all he could see. They grew larger and larger, filling more of his mind until he saw nothing else. His thoughts grew cloudy and he felt an abrupt and severe compulsion to never take his eyes off the man. He readily allowed the sentiment to fill his mind, for Viktor was an exquisitely ethereal specimen of beauty, and he'd gladly stare at him forever. His pleasure intensified briefly thereafter as he felt Viktor's grip tightening further around them and encompassing more of them both. When Viktor started thrusting his hips forward, his whole body pulsed and sang, and all he could do was _feel_. The burning fire reignited in the pit of his stomach and he could feel the onset of the familiar coiling sensation. Then Viktor's voice rang out in his mind, clear as bell; 'Come for me Yuuri'…

_/End dream recall sequence/ _

Yuuri bit into a section of his sweater just above his bicep as his entire body practically convulsed in rapture. As he came violently into the toilet, spurts of cum splattered onto the rim of the bowl and floor despite his best aiming efforts. He held his bite long and hard, allowing only a few errant grunts to escape, until every drop had been finally spilled. Satisfied that he wouldn't be making any more noises, he released the hold on his sweater and leaned forward until his forehead was resting against the cool tiles on the wall. His knees wobbled and trembled as he fought to keep himself upright, his body weak after such a tremendous release. He panted and gasped for breath for a solid minute before he was able to have his body fully under control once more. Kami, the dream had been SO real. Even now, as he closed his eyes, he could actually recall the way that Viktor's cool skin had felt against his own and how…

Yuuri groaned as he felt his dick beginning to stir in interest once more. He_ had_ to stop thinking about the dream or he'd never leave the bathroom, nor make it to any of his classes. He reached for the toilet paper dispenser and grabbed a handful. He cleaned up, making sure he didn't have any pieces of paper stuck to himself before tucking back into his jeans. Then he reached for more paper and moved to clean up the mess he'd made. After all the evidence was flushed away, he grabbed his things before unlocking the door. As he stepped out, the door to the stall next to his opened as well and another male student came out. Yuuri shuffled awkwardly to the sink, immediately self-conscious and worried that the guy had heard him or something. As he quickly washed his hands at the sink, the man next to him spoke in English with an accent he guessed was from somewhere in the southern United States.

"You know what, man? Sometimes you've just to rub one out. Ain't no shame in that."

Yuuri turned beet-red and would have brought his hands up to his face had they not been wet and completely covered in soap. The man tipped his head at him and wished him a nice day before finally exiting the bathroom, leaving behind a sputtering and rather mortified Japanese man.

Somehow, he made it through the rest of the day, and when the professor at the last class finally dismissed them, he'd felt an indescribable sense of relief. He booked it back to the dorm and flopped, face down, onto the only sofa in the small living room area as soon as he'd made it inside. He groaned loudly as he allowed his body to sink into the upholstery and form to its shape. He was absolutely exhausted from the colossal efforts to survive the day and was finally able to allow himself to relax. His peace was disturbed not even twenty minutes later, when he heard the lock being turned, announcing Phichit's arrival.

"Yuuuri! I'm so glad you're home! I just got some free dessert vouchers for that Swiss patisserie that's having its grand opening tonight! You've _got_ to come with me!"

Yuuri moaned plaintively as he lifted his head to look up at his roommate, pausing to straighten the glasses on his face.

"I'm a bit tired right now, but I think that I will definitely be able to gather enough strength later for the sake of a good dessert."

Phichit came around to the front of the sofa and knelt down until his face with level with Yuuri's.

"You're going to have to dig really deep for that strength buddy, and do it now. They've set things up so that people go into the tasting in thirty-minute batches. The vouchers I've got are for a batch that starts in thirty minutes. So we're gonna have to hustle."

Yuuri mumbled and grumbled under his breath, but still managed to push himself into an upright sitting position. He stretched his arms languidly above his head and yawned before crossing his arms and turning to Phichit.

"This better be the most earth-shattering dessert tasting in the whole universe, or you'll owe me big time."

Phichit threw his arms around him in a surprisingly strong bear hug.

"It's a deal!"

They made it to the new patisserie in just under twenty minutes, since it had been built on prime real estate quite close to campus. They waited in line, shifting from foot to foot in the descending evening chill of Russian fall. Yuuri examined the shop's exterior, humming in approval at the dark wood motif, appropriately chocolate-toned. It had very overt references to Swiss architecture and looked like an upscale chalet that wouldn't be out of place in the Alps. The sign was in French, and it read "_La Petite Mort au Chocolat_". Other than the word 'chocolat' which he assumed meant chocolate, Yuuri had no idea what the sign meant. He'd have to Google it later. The batch number corresponding to Phichit's vouchers was called and they moved to the front of the line, handing them off to the burly man guarding the door.

They were escorted to a table for two and took their seats, watching excitedly as the other tables filled up quickly around them. Once every seat in the establishment was happily occupied, the lights dimmed and a spotlight was turned on at the back corner. Out stepped a foreign man in a black satin suit and matching tie. He had short and slightly spiky blonde hair on top with shorter, almost shaved hair at the sides. Yuuri guessed that the blonde was not his natural hair color as the shorter shaved hair was of a darker shade. The foreign man's eyes were a stunning shade of jade and seemed to glow with mischief from across the room. He was slim, but had an athletic build that filled out his expensive-looking designer suit quite well. He was handed a microphone and when he spoke, it was with a French accent.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen! My name is Christophe Giacometti and I'd like to personally welcome you to the grand opening tasting of my newest business venture; La Petite Mort Au Chocolat. I wish you all an orgasmic experience."

The room erupted in polite applause and delighted laughter and murmurs filled the air as the crowd's anticipation grew. Mr. Giacometti then made the same announcement in Italian, French and then German, with a translator stepping in to assist with the Russian version. Mr. Giacometti bowed and waved gracefully at the crowd before excusing himself to oversee the last-minute preparations at the back. An attendant of sorts stepped forward and spelled out the procedure for their first experience at La Petite Mort Au Chocolat. Each patron would be presented with a tray containing samples of five of their most famous desserts, with a sixth one to be brought out once the other five were consumed. There was a very specific order in which the desserts would be consumed, and they were to eat one of the salted soda crackers provided to them between each dessert to 'cleanse the palate', before washing it down with a sip of water. They were assured that every action they took tonight was specially designed to extract the maximum flavor and enjoyment of each dessert. Phichit leaned in across the table and motioned for Yuuri to come closer.

"Rich people sure like to add a lot of fancy steps to their dessert eating. I'm just happy to shovel chocolate into my mouth like the uncultured peasant that I am."

Yuuri covered his mouth as he fought down a fit of giggles. He removed his hand and nodded in agreement.

"If being a dessert peasant is wrong, I don't want to be right."

The light in the room was brought up to full brightness and a seemingly never-ending line of handsome and snappily-dressed servers began to pour out of the door he assumed led to the kitchens. Two beautiful trays containing five mouth-watering little samples were brought to their table and set down in smooth and practiced movements. Phichit immediately had his phone out, snapping pictures from every possible angle and with every imaginable filter. He was going to be quite busy getting them all posted on Instagram later. Next to each tray was a small card with the name of each dessert; in the order in which it was to be consumed, as well as a brief description. A comment card was also provided and would be collected once the tasting was over. They were wished bon appetit and then the tasting officially began.

Yuuri looked at the names on the list and recognized quite a few of them. Carac, Chocolate Madeleines, Chocolate Éclair, Chocolate Rum Ball, Black Forest Cake, and Chocolate Soufflé. He didn't think himself much of a dessert snob, and had never eaten anything fancier than artisanal mochi back in Japan, but had been expecting things with fancier names. He knew that there were high-quality chocolates and desserts out there, but had never given them much thought nor imagined them to be that much different than the regular stuff he ate. Boy, had he ever been wrong! The first bite of the first pastry pretty much had his mind blown in ways he hadn't thought possible. There was something about it that was unlike anything he'd ever tasted. His eyes widened at that first bite and he looked across the table to see a similar look on Phichit's face. When Yuuri looked around at the other patrons, he saw people in various stages of exaltation. Some had their eyes closed, while others were caught in wide-eyed surprise like he and Phichit were. The room was filled with appreciative moans, and if you didn't know that there was a dessert tasting in progress, you would imagine something much more risqué and lewd going on.

"Oh my God Yuuri, I renounce my past life as a dessert peasant and pledge my allegiance to the dessert snob elite. Fuck, this is the most amazing thing I've ever tasted."

Yuuri nodded eagerly at his roommate. He was completely blown away by something that looked like a simple chocolate tart.

"Kami Phichit, and this is only the first one."

…

The tasting was over in just twenty minutes, and Yuuri would forever remember them as some of the best twenty minutes of his entire life. Each item had been more delicious than the one before it, all with nearly imperceptible hints of something that helped boost the flavor to the next level. The soufflé was placed last because it literally needed to be served fresh out of the oven, and it had been the crowning jewel of the whole experience. It was dusted beautifully with cocoa and its center was deliciously molten. Yuuri couldn't speak for Phichit, but he was going to be having some very indecent fantasies about that soufflé for quite some time to come. The man named Christophe Giacometti had stopped at each table briefly throughout the entire tasting, and asked each patron which had been their favorite dessert and why. As he'd approached their table, he'd winked cheekily at Yuuri and blown a kiss Phichit's way.

"Good evening my handsome chers. I trust that you had a fantastic experience?"

Phichit was the first to reply, jumping in and gushing about everything from the décor, to the servers and then the actual desserts. Mr. Giacometti bowed toward the young Thai man and thanked him for his generous praise before asking him which dessert had been his favorite. Phichit did not hesitate to declare his love for the Black Forest Cake, stating that it was just too perfect and that he couldn't possibly choose any specific component as his favorite. Then the green-eyed patisseur turned to Yuuri and asked him the same. Yuuri pondered his answer thoughtfully for a few seconds before naming the soufflé as his favorite. The man smiled politely at Yuuri before replying to his comment.

"Ah, it was perfectly cooked was it not? There's nothing more memorable than a fluffy pinnacle of perfection."

"True, but there was much more to this soufflé than meets the eye. It had these coffee undertones that really amped up the dark chocolate and...something else I'm not sure of the English name for...some kind of exotic spice."

Mr. Giacometti's eyes widened briefly, and he looked ready to ask Yuuri to elaborate on his answer when an attendant was suddenly at his side and whispering something into his ear. The Swiss man nodded in response and turned to excuse himself from their table.

"I'm sorry cheri, duty calls. Please make sure you fill out the comment card and let me know the name of the spice you tasted, okay?"

Yuuri nodded and then had his hand picked up and lifted to Mr. Giacometti's lips, a soft kiss placed on top of it.

"Have a good night, gentlemen. Please come again! I still have many more orgasms to offer you."

When the man left, Phichit was immediately at his side, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Oh my God, he's so hot. That was so hot. Did you not think that that was so hot? I'm so hot right now."

Face slightly flushed, Yuuri could only nod weakly in agreement.

Yuuri got back home to the dorm, showered and got down to business. He had a few assignments to finish and a test to study for, so he locked himself up in his room and systematically crossed everything off his to-do list. Phichit had gotten used to Yuuri's guerilla-style studying tactics, and wasn't really that bothered anymore when Yuuri disappeared for entire evenings at a time. At just after 1 a.m, Yuuri yawned and got up from his chair, swiveling his hips around and doing a few stretches as he tried to work through some of the stiffness. He poured himself a glass of water from the bottle he always kept in his room, chugging it down in a few gulps before going to the shared bathroom to brush his teeth. He yawned again on the way back to his room, thinking about how lucky he was that Thursdays were his late-start days, with his first class only starting at 10. He would be able to get a few extra precious hours of sleep, and was very much looking forward to them. He slid under the covers and breathed out a sigh of relief as he sank into the soft mattress. He let out one last gargantuan yawn before rolling onto his side and immediately falling asleep.

_/Start dream sequence/_

He was in a shower, the cold water raining down little drops of heaven onto his hot skin. When he opened his eyes, he saw that he wasn't alone. Viktor was there with him, and that revelation alone was enough to spark the fires of lust within him once more. He surprised Viktor by pinning him against the shower wall and then taking one of his fingers into his mouth. While part of him was severely embarrassed by what he was doing, the other part noticed Viktor's reaction to him and reveled in how the man's pupils immediately dilated with pleasure. He closed his eyes and swirled his tongue around Viktor's finger, imagining something longer and much harder in his mouth instead. As he continued lavishing attention on Viktor's finger, something strange happened in his mouth and it suddenly felt as if his teeth no longer fit inside it. As he tried to rearrange things more comfortably in his mouth, he was suddenly hit with an irresistibly addictive flavor. He doubled down on his efforts and couldn't hold back the moans as the incredible taste filled his mouth. The next thing he knew, it was his turn to be pinned against the wall, with Viktor seemingly chastising him for something or other.

And then, sweet Kami...Viktor's tongue was on his body and his mind just about went blank. Viktor's mouth, although cold like the rest of him, somehow trailed fire in its wake. It blazed along his collarbone and then up his neck, stopping to nibble mercilessly on his earlobes, before nipping its way back down to his nipples. On and on the torment went, little nibbles turning into harder and more intense nips as the hot mouth continued its journey south. Yuuri found himself unable to speak, as only whimpers, cries and mewls came out in response to Viktor's actions. When Viktor took him into his mouth in one fell swoop, his heart just about stopped in his chest. He heard the sound of his own scream and could feel his hips bucking forward, chasing that amazing feeling of all-encompassing heart being offered by Viktor's mouth. The man's tongue expertly traveled his full length as his cock bobbed in and out of that incredible mouth. When he felt Viktor's hand on his sac, he knew he wouldn't last much longer. He wanted to hold on longer and make the pleasure last, but in the end he was simply too overwhelmed, and spilled into Viktor's waiting cavern.

/End Dream Sequence/

Yuuri woke with a start to the sound of his alarm going off, and an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. He immediately sat up in bed, noticing that he was absolutely covered in sweat and with an all-too familiar sticky feeling in his boxers. Another inexplicably vivid dream, another pair of soiled undergarments. Kami, these dreams of Viktor just kept getting increasingly more real and hard to ignore. He rubbed absentmindedly at his throbbing neck before reaching for his glasses on the nightstand. He knew that Phichit was thankfully already in class and wouldn't be there to question his waddle of shame to the bathroom. He turned on the shower stepping under the hot stream of water while still wearing his dirty boxers. He pulled them off in the shower and then washed them by hand before moving on to wash his hair and the rest of his body. Once fully dressed, he went into the kitchen for some quick breakfast. On the table was a short note from Phichit.

_Hi Yuuri! _

_I'm so glad you enjoyed the dessert tasting last night. If I had known just __how much__ you'd enjoy it, I would have tried to get more vouchers. Whether it was the handsome Swiss patisseur that you really liked, or that magical soufflé that had you so smitten...__something__ in your dreams had you really going last night! Hope you didn't cement yourself to the bed and were able to get yourself to class in one piece. Catch you later!_

_P. _

Yuuri moaned, instantly mortified that Phichit had actually heard his wet dream last night. He crumpled the note up and tossed it into the trash, blushing furiously and suddenly with a lack of appetite. He grabbed an apple and an orange and shoved them into his bag, doing one last check of his room for any items left behind, and then leaving for class. In the midst of yet_ another_ day of trying to survive classes with a raging erection and a pulsing neck, he received a rather pleasant surprise. As he was quickly checking his email, he noticed a new one from a C. Giacometti titled 'Congratulations!'. He opened it up during the short break between classes, excited to see what it was all about.

_Dearest Yuuri,_

_Your comment card was selected in a lucky draw held last night after our opening day launch. I will be available at the patisserie tonight from 6 pm to 10 pm, please let me know if you are able to drop by during this time. Congratulations, cheri! I look forward to seeing you again later!_

_Yours forever and always,_

_Christophe. _

Yuuri's heart skipped a beat as he read and reread the email. His last class ended at 6 pm and he was certainly free after that. He had no idea what he'd won, but anything that came from La Petite Mort Au Chocolat was bound to be a winner, regardless. He hit reply and thanked Mr. Giacometti for his email and stated that he would be available to meet him at 6:30 pm that evening. Mr. Giacometti replied with his confirmation immediately, and just like that, their meeting was set.

Yuuri arrived at the patisserie to find it a very different place from the night before. It was closed for business today, as everyone had apparently been given the day off to recover from the opening night festivities. Mr. Giacometti greeted him at the door, also looking completely different the night before. He was in a plain pair of jeans, mint-green turtleneck sweater and dark-framed glasses. He greeted Yuuri warmly and welcomed him inside.

"Mr. Katsuki, welcome! May I call you Yuuri? Please call me Christophe! Please, please...come in and have a seat."

Yuuri sat down on the chair Christophe had graciously pulled out for him and set his backpack on a nearby empty chair. The Swiss man asked him if he wanted a hot drink and he nodded. When asked what he wanted to drink, he left the decision up to Christophe. He had a feeling that the man had impeccable taste and that he'd be more than happy with anything he came up with. Less than five minutes later, Yuuri was enjoying the most delicious piping hot mug of café mocha he'd ever had. It was topped with whipped cream and had a sinful hint of spice in it.

"This is absolutely delicious, Mr. Gia...I mean...Chistophe. The hit of cinnamon is a really nice touch."

Christophe smiled and thanked him, but Yuuri noticed that his gaze had sharpened considerably and he was looking at him with much more interest than before.

"Tell me, Yuuri. Have you ever been a professional taster before?"

Yuuri was a bit caught off-guard by the question. _Him...as professional taster?_ He never imagined his palate being anywhere discerning enough for a job like that.

"Uhh, no...I have not."

Christophe tapped his chin pensively as he stared across the table at Yuuri.

"I'm just curious as to how you were able to pick up on the very minute amounts of ingredients I have added to my desserts. Not even the food critics I had in last night had the slightest clue, but you nailed every single one."

Yuuri was beginning to feel rather confused. _He had come here to collect a prize, had he not? Why did it feel like he was being interrogated suddenly? _

"I'm not sure I understand. What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I was initially surprised when you mentioned the coffee and cardamom in the soufflé and thought that it might have just been a fluke, but then I read your comment card and noticed that it was far from it."

Christophe pulled a piece of paper out of his jeans pocket and flattened it onto the table. Yuuri immediately recognized it as his comment card.

"You picked up the amaretto in the Carac, the pistachio in the Madeleines, the bourbon in the éclair cream, the nutmeg in the rum ball, and the vanilla in the cherries of the Black Forest. First, I was absolutely astounded, and thought perhaps that you have the God's Tongue and can taste the minute components of any dish. Then I started to worry that you might be a corporate spy sent to steal my recipes."

Yuuri waved his hands defensively in front of him as he vehemently shook his head in denial. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he'd been duped and that there had never been a lucky draw and he hadn't won anything. He'd been lured out here for questioning.

"I'm not a spy and I don't have a magic tongue, I swear! Food has just tasted better this week for some reason. That's all there is to it, truly!"

Yuuri had started to feel really stressed by the situation, and his neck began tingling in response. He brought a hand up to it and rubbed it like he usually did, not noticing the way Christophe's eyes widened as he did so.

"Ah, I see how it is, now. You've been tasting things better in the last week, non? Have you by chance met any pale and mysterious beings this week, Yuuri? Perhaps someone with enticing red eyes?"

Yuuri's head shot up at the mention of red eyes and he immediately recalled all the times he'd seen red eyes in visions and his dreams. He swallowed thickly as he fought to keep his cool. He would try to play it as if he didn't know what Christophe was talking about and maybe gather some more information.

"I don't think that I have. What makes you say that?"

Christophe kept his steely green gaze trained on Yuuri's face as he leaned in closer.

"You haven't had any strange...dreams or visions this week? Dreams or visions so realistic and powerful that they elicited strong...physical reactions from your body?"

Yuuri swallowed again, practically feeling his face burning up at the man's line of questioning. He was so hot and flustered, and wanted nothing more than to bury his face in something and hide until it all went away. He sensed some movement from across the table and lifted his eyes just enough to see Christophe reach into his sweater. The man pulled out a silver chain with an exquisite silver cross dangling from it. It was beautifully carved and had a red stone at its center. Christophe removed the necklace and placed it on the table. He kept staring at Yuuri, as if expecting him to say something.

"Well?"

Yuuri looked back and forth between the necklace and Christophe's face.

"Uhh, it's...really pretty?"

Christophe's eyes widened for the second time that night and he stared incredulously at the young Japanese sitting across from him.

"You don't know what this is, do you?"

"Um, it's an ornate cross on a chain?"

"Mon dieu, you really have no idea."

Yuuri shrugged his shoulders helplessly as he shook his head.

"I guess I don't. What is it?"

"It is, firstly and most importantly; a talisman. It clearly defines your status and your protector, thereby keeping you safe from other supernatural beings."

It was Yuuri's eyes' turn to grow wide as he was completely filled with disbelief.

"S-s-supernatural? Certainly you must be joking. I haven't encountered any supernatural beings and I don't plan to, ever."

Christophe laughed, a deep and throaty sound.

"Mon cher, you already have. There are supernatural beings all around us. They masquerade as humans and are even able to deceive our eyes into believing the illusions they present to us. Most are harmless and know to stay away from humans. Others pose a more severe threat, and that's what this talisman is for."

Yuuri's mouth fell open and all he could do was stare at Christophe as it hung agape in disbelief.

"This talisman was a gift from my beloved, a vampire lord named Bernard. We have been together for...many years now...and this is a symbol of his love for me."

Christophe pointed to the red jewel at the center of the cross.

"This is filled with Bernard's blood and any supernatural being who tries to lay their filthy hands on me will be blown back by the protective magic within."

Yuuri's eyes slowly lowered and he stared down at the red ornament. It had appeared to be a simple red jewel at first, but the more he looked at it, the more he realized that it actually did look like a small vial of blood. He pushed the chair back and stood up, taking a step away from the table. Christophe was immediately on his feet as well.

"Yuuri, calm down. I know that this may be a lot to take in, but you must know the truth. I believe you have met a vampire and that he has fed on you, and that you most likely had his blood as well. Something else must have happened though for you to not remember any of this."

Yuuri was in shock. He couldn't possibly be actually hearing all these things. His mind was certainly playing tricks on him again. He fumbled blindly until he found his backpack, quickly grabbing it along with his coat and began backing up toward the door.

"Yuuri, listen. It all makes sense. Your neck is hurting you because that's where you got bitten. The visions and dreams you keep having aren't actually dreams, they're memories. Your sense of taste is so amazing right now because that's a lingering side effect of consuming vampire blood. It's why I'm in this business and why I am so successful. The café mocha I gave you today literally had the tiniest pinch of cinnamon in it, but you picked up on it anyway. The vampire you met must want something more from you, because most people don't survive an encounter with one. They're either dead shortly after or they wake up as one."

Red eyes. Vampires. Blood. Talismans. It was too much for Yuuri to take in at once. He turned on his heel and ran out of the shop, not stopping until he'd safely made it back to the dorm. He made a beeline for his room, throwing his backpack and coat on the floor before jumping onto his bed. He held his knees in close and rocked himself back and forth, heart pounding in his ears and neck throbbing more painfully than ever. He wanted to discount everything Christophe had said as sheer nonsense. He wanted to pretend like it didn't all ring true to him at all. But too many of the things the man had said made sense to him, and they all currently swirled madly inside his brain, slowly driving him insane. He _had_ to know the truth, he _had_ to find out if there was even the slightest possibility that _any_ of it was true. He resolved, right there and then, to confront Viktor about it all.

...

Friday flew by in a complete blur, and Yuuri mechanically went about attending all his classes and doing everything that needed to be done. He was like a mindless zombie in the way he shuffled around campus all day. When Friday night rolled around, he packed his backpack and set out the clothes that he would be wearing for the drive and subsequent hike. He was up before sunrise and out on the road shortly after waking up. He drove there in silence, arriving in record time, since he already knew the route this time around. He parked his bike in the familiar parking lot and began the hike to the secret manor in the woods. His memory of the shortcut Viktor had shown him was also quite fresh and he got there in half the time. He gasped upon seeing the stunning home once more, resplendent in the early morning light. He raised his hand to knock on the door, but then decided first to see if it was unlocked. It was. He turned the knob and opened the door, stepping into the house and closing the door behind him.

He made his way quietly through the house, poking his head in a few rooms but finding them empty. Where the hell is he? I don't hear Makkachin either. He suddenly felt guilty for showing up unannounced. He hadn't really thought of the possibility that Viktor might be out or busy with something. He kept walking though, and soon found himself in the marbled foyer with the grand staircase. He had made it halfway up the impressive staircase when he heard the sound of steps coming from the top. He halted his climb and looked up, surprised to find Viktor suddenly standing there.

"Yuuuuuuuri! Welcome back! It's so good..."

Yuuri raised his right hand and pointed a finger at the man who was standing at the top of the stairs.

"Y-Y-YOU! What the hell did you do to me?"

Viktor quirked his head to the side and stared quizzically at the young Japanese man.

"Which part would you like to know about first?"

Yuuri was incredulous. _Had he just heard correctly? Was Viktor admitting that he'd done something to him?_

"Viktor...are you...are you a vampire?"

The man's eyes grew wide with wonder and his face lit up with the most dazzling smile possible.

"Why yes, Yuuri! Bravo! Yes, I am!"

**_terminology_**

La Petite Mort – the sensation of post-orgasm as likened to death.

Au chocolat – chocolate - so all put together, it means 'the chocolate orgasm.'


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **

_My greatest apologies everyone, I left you all off at a cruel cliffhanger and then made you wait all this time. It was not my intention to do so.__My dog passed away from sudden illness back in December and I was simply devastated. It took me a long time to be able to even think about this next chapter, let alone be in the right mood/mindset to write it. You need to be in the right place to write good smut, and nothing kills a smut-writing boner faster than devastating grief.__I processed and recovered until I finally felt like I was ready to tackle this story again. It's a very critical chapter and a big turning point for Yuuri and Viktor. I wanted to do it justice. I've been writing furiously for the past 2 weeks now, researching and making sure everything fit just right._

* * *

Yuuri stared up in total disbelief at the pale man at the top of the stairs. He was in such a state of shock that he was pretty sure his lower jaw was resting on the marbled step at his feet. His eyes desperately searched Viktor's face for any hint of humor or sign that he was kidding, but did not find any. He licked his lips nervously in an attempt to moisten them, but found that his mouth had suddenly gone drier than the Sahara. His mind began to race, the implications of the recently-acquired knowledge all crashing down on him like a ton of bricks.Viktor's a vampire…vampires drink blood...Chris' words came back to him then, and there was just one thing he needed to know above anything else.

"Did…did you…drink from…me?"

Viktor's lips gave a little twitch and the smile on his face seemed to falter slightly, a more serious expression taking its place.

"I think that perhaps we should sit down and have this discussion in a more comfortable setting, we could..."

Yuuri didn't want to sit down and get comfortable. He wasn't leaving the damn staircase until he hadallthe information he needed.

"Just...answer the question Viktor! I have to know!"

The silver-haired man sighed and looked right into the young man's eyes as he answered.

"Yes Yuuri, I did."

In his heart, he had known the truth long before Viktor admitted to it, but it was still a shock to his system to actually hear the words coming from the man's lips. He swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the rising panic within him as he prepared to ask the next question.

"Did you…did we…you know…a-a-ah...?"

Viktor cocked his head adorably to the right as a mischievous sparkle lit up both his eyes.

"Oh! Have your memories of our passionate night finally caught up to you, dear Yuuri?"

Yuuri stared back in disbelief at the man at the top of the stairs.Memories? Passionate?! Did that mean that they weren't just vivid dreams after all?!

"N-n-no…those can't be…I would never…we couldn't possibly have…"

Viktor began walking down the stairs, taking each step deliberately and slowly as he held eye contact with the blushing Japanese man.

"Oh, but we did. Wedidshare all those intimate moments. Wedidpleasure each other that night. Repeatedly, as a matter of fact. Your stamina is incredible, young one. You have quite a lot of Eros for one so…inexperienced."

Yuuri's brain suddenly and forcefully overloaded upon hearing everything Viktor had just said. Rational thought became nearly impossible and all he could process was his building mortification. All the blood in his body rushed to his face, and seemed to be pool in his cheeks at that moment, making him feel lightheaded. He was so furiously and hotly embarrassed, that he felt as if he would spontaneously burst into flames. He wished the earth would open up beneath his feet and just swallow him into its depths. He'd happily hide there until the world ended.

But Viktor was getting closer and closer to him, each footstep echoing like a clap of thunder in the foyer, hammering panic deeper into his heart. He was feeling a million and one different things at the moment, none of which he was particularly ready to deal with. Hehadto get away. He needed time to think, time to…something. He took a step back down the stairs, then two. When he went to take the third, his foot did not feel the familiar solidness of ground underneath it. He felt himself tipping backward, eyes widening in horror as the realization suddenly hit him…he was falling.

Time slowed as he fell, his line of sight angling upward until he was staring up at the magnificently-carved ceiling. He first cursed his predicament, and then himself for being so careless. He was likely going to hit his head, perhaps even break an arm and a leg…or two. He was going to be sidelined indefinitely, just before final exams, and at the worst possible time. He felt himself tumbling, head over heels, and scrunched his eyes closed as time stretched on. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he hit something cold and hard. The impact was followed by a loud snapping sound and he bit down on his bottom lip as he waited for the pain to flood him. He waited, and waited, but the pain never came.

He tentatively cracked an eye open, and tensely looked around for a few seconds. Not seeing anything immediately wrong, he opened the other one right after. He seemed to be sitting upright on one of the landings, legs splayed out directly in front of him.

He counted four legs at first and had to do a double-take to make sure he wasn't imagining things. He was about to count them again when he heard Viktor's slightly unsteady voice from behind him.

"Yuuri...are you alright?"

Yuuri twisted around slightly so that he could look over his shoulder at the man who was currently sitting behind him.

"Viktor? How in the kami did you end up backthere?"

The young man pushed himself away from the silver-haired aristocrat and slowly turned around to face him. What he saw shocked him to the core, and threatened to upend his stomach. Viktor sat with his back against the wall, legs splayed out much like his own had been just a few moments ago. But something was definitely not right. One of his arms was bent at an unnatural angle and a piece of jagged bone jutted out through ruptured skin. Yuuri blanched as it dawned on him what the source of the loud snapping noise had been. He became instantly panicked and shot to his feet. Hehadto get Viktor to a hospital.

"Oh sweet kami! Viktor, you need to see a doctor!"

The injured man smiled warmly back at him, an expression that was very much at odds with the situation at hand.

"Yuuri, I'm fine."

"I'll use my phone to call emergency services! Can they even get up here? How are they going to get to your house?"

"Yuuri, calm down. I'm fine, really."

"I'llcarryyou, Viktor! I'll walk all day and all night if that's what it takes to get you the help you need! I'll…"

Yuuri's wrist was abruptly grabbed by Viktor's free hand and he was pulled down onto his knees in front of the older man. Viktor looked directly into Yuuri's eyes and his voice was soft and steady as he spoke.

"Just watch."

Yuuri couldn't understand how Viktor was managing to remain so calm during all this or why he wasn't screaming in agony from what was clearly a compound fracture. He was about to say something to the effect when he noticed some movement just out of the corner of his field of vision. When Yuuri's eyes followed the movement, they settled on Viktor's arm, which seemed to be shifting.

"No Viktor, don't move! You'll make it worse! We have to…"

Viktor released Yuuri's wrist and brought the gloved hand up to the young man's face, gently caressing the smooth and warm skin on his cheek. Yuuri immediately brought both hands up, covering Viktor's with his own. He leaned into the touch, feeling slightly more grounded as he did so.

"Yuuri, I'm a vampire…remember? And being a vampire comes with certain…perks."

"What do you mean, Viktor? I don't understand."

"Well first, there's the superhuman speed. That's how I was able to get behind you and cushion your fall."

Yuuri's eyes grew wide at the mention of superhuman speed, and he instantly recalled a few bizarre instances in which Viktor had popped up suddenly and inexplicably. The main one being the time he'd nearly fallen into the fountain.

"The other big vampire perk is self-healing."

Yuuri's eyes darted back to the broken arm and gasped in horrified fascination as the bone appeared to be sinking back under the skin and muscles, sinew, tendons and nerves all re-attached themselves. He felt his stomach do a funny little lurch and flop in his abdomen, and then suddenly felt very weak. He had never been able to tolerate much blood or gore, and seeing Viktor's arm knit itself back together like that proved to be too much for him. A gurgle formed at the back of his throat just before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He blacked out completely, falling unconscious against Viktor's chest.

The fuzzy edges of consciousness expanded and crept in further as Yuuri slowly came to. Light then filtered in through the corners of his awareness and he became cognizant of his surroundings. His eyes fluttered open and his hands immediately came up to his face in an attempt to rub out the sleep and clear his vision. Viktor was then there with him, cupping his face with both hands, and whispering soft words of encouragement to him. He was helped into a sitting position, and as he looked around, he realized that he was in the library.

"Viktor...what are we doing here?"

The older man brought a gloved hand up to Yuuri's hair and smoothed it out, tucking the stray locks neatly back into place.

"I thought it would be best if you woke up in a place that you liked and felt most comfortable with. How are you feeling?"

"Me?! Never mindme...how areyou? How's your arm? Is it still...?"

Viktor knelt down in front of the young Japanese man and rolled up the damaged sleeve of his exquisitely-made silk tunic, exposing a stretch of unmarred and silky-smooth skin. Yuuri stared at the arm in utter disbelief, marveling at how it didn't appear to show any signs of previous injury. He timidly reached out, stopping to look into Viktor's eyes in a plea for wordless permission. Viktor smiled and nodded, bringing his arm up and closer to the young one's reach.

Yuuri took Viktor's arm into his hands, gasping softly at the coolness of the skin beneath his fingertips. He was temporarily reminded of a previous dream...no,memory...of that same coolness against his body, and shuddered involuntarily. His cheeks colored slightly at the recollection, and he shyly looked back up at Viktor's face. His cherry-brown eyes quickly found a pair of azure eyes staring rather intently back at him. He took a deep breath to calm himself before running his hands along the length of Viktor's forearm. The silver-haired vampire closed his eyes as he did so, reveling in the warm touch of Yuuri's living flesh. A few moments passed by in silence, and then Yuuri's soft voice finally broke the quiet.

"Was it very…painful?"

Not wanting to detract from the heavenly sensation of Yuuri's skin on his, Viktor's eyes remained closed as he raised his shoulders in a non-committal shrug.

"The pain is the same as any human would experience in the same situation. The only difference is that it doesn't last nearly as long. The self-healing starts almost immediately, and the pain ends once the whole process does."

Something hot and scalding fell on Viktor's arm immediately after he finished speaking, and his eyes flew open in surprise. When he looked up, he was shocked to see tears flowing freely from Yuuri's eyes.

"Yuuri? What…?"

"I'm so sorry, Viktor! It's totally my fault you got hurt! If I hadn't been so reckless and…and…"

Yuuri was never able to finish his sentence, for he was abruptly pulled into a tight embrace. One hand slid up to cradle the back of his head and the other snaked down to encircle his waist. Viktor held onto the young man, keeping him safely in his arms until the trembling slowed and he was calmer.

"Yuuri, you…would cry…for a cursed wretch…like me?"

The young Japanese man brought his hands up and placed his palms on Viktor's chest before pushing back and away from the embrace.

"I don't care if you're cursed and you're not a wretch tome! Do you not hurt and feel pain? No one deserves to feel unnecessary pain, whether they're human, vampire, or…whatever!"

Viktor was floored. Never in a million lifetimes would he ever have expected such words being uttered by a human. He was a vile, blood-sucking demon of the night. He was feared and detested by humans, who were simultaneously repulsed by his kind while lusting for the power they held. He was certainly not under any delusions of ever qualifying for their compassion or understanding. And then there was the young one before him, a human unlike any he'd ever known. Yuuri had just learned that not only was the man he met last week a vampire, but that said vampire in question had also drunk from him. That they'd gotten to knowa whole lot moreabout one another than he'd originally thought, and that vampires had the ability to miraculously return a broken arm to a pristine state.

Just about any human out there would run for the hills upon finding out someone they'd recently met was a vampire. That alone would have been reason enough. They would then have either reported him to the authorities or rallied a lynch mob. Yet Yuuri was still here. And instead of fearing for his own safety or worrying about himself, he was shedding tears for a monster's pain. If his heart was still animated, and not the shriveled lump of flesh that it currently was, it would be beating wildly in his chest. He stared, shocked and speechless at the young man, as every instinct in him screamed that it was all just worthless human lies. Yet his senses detected nothing but the deepest sincerity coming from him.

Viktor's eyes quivered and pricked with a foreign sensation he hadn't experienced since the days when he was still human. He felt complete bewilderment as he sensed a cold wetness streaking down his cheeks, and his suspicions were further confirmed by Yuuri's immediate reaction.

"Viktor...your eyes are bleeding!"

Viktor smiled sweetly at the youngling before him and brought a hand up to place gentle caresses on the top of his head.

"My body is unable to produce tears or any other kind of natural body fluid, so it makes do with what it's got. Worry not my dear, you've simply caught me in rare moment of weakness. I'm perfectly fine."

Yuuri reached out with both hands and placed one on each side of Viktor's face. He then used his thumbs to smoothly wipe the bloody tracks left behind by the tears.

"It'snotweakness and I certainly don't think any less of you now for it. You don't need to be so stoic around me, you know."

Viktor smiled wistfully as he looked deeply into the eyes of the young man who had single-handedly managed to turn 500 lonely years on their head. He had always kept his distance from humans, for he had long detested them, and simply written them off as a food source. He'd avoided his own 'kind' as well, as he still despised what he'd become. Yet here before him was the most unique and incredible individual he'd ever come across. Yuuri was in a class all of his own, and the more he realized this, the more it dawned upon him that he was never going to let him go.

He took one of Yuuri's hands into his own, and then slipped the bloody thumb into his mouth, applying gentle pressure as he licked and sucked it clean. The young man squeaked rather endearingly the moment he did so, his face instantly coloring with such vigor that Viktor could practically smell the delicious blood underneath. He also detected the scent of instant arousal from the young man, and growled as he forced himself to keep control. He could feel the change begin in his eyes and so he closed them, moaning as his senses flooded with all things Yuuri.

Meanwhile, Yuuri was feeling the most turned on he'd ever felt in his young and untried life. The things Viktor was doing to his thumb so completely mimicked other lewd activities they'd previously participated in, that the sensations were going straight to his groin. He bit down on his bottom lip in an effort to keep any noises from escaping, and squeezed his thighs together to prevent anything embarrassing frompopping up. After torturing him mercilessly with his mouth, Viktor finally released the digit with a loud pop. A small sob managed to make its way past Yuuri's lips and he quickly brought the back of his other hand up to cover his mouth. When Viktor opened his eyes to look at him, he gasped. They seemed to be fluctuating between blue and red, periodically phasing into a stunning shade of violet. He reached out with his free hand and brushed the hair from Viktor's forehead so that he could have a better look.

"Viktor...what's happening?"

"Forgive me Yuuri, my body has very...strong reactions...to you. I'm currently finding it a bit of struggle to refrain from simply pinning you down to the sofa and ravaging you."

Yuuri didn't think it was possible to get any redder than he currently was. His face burned to the roots of his hair and he pressed his thighs together more tightly on reflex. Viktor reached out for the other hand, closing his eyes as he repeated the same process, torturing his thumb expertly with his talented tongue. Yuuri whimpered helplessly as the new assault on his senses pushed him to the limits of his endurance. He bit down even harder on his lip in an attempt to keep quiet, inadvertently drawing blood.

Viktor immediately stilled as the scent of Yuuri's blood hit his nose, a low growl reverberating deep in his chest. The vampire's eyes then opened slowly to look at the young man, two gleaming orbs of garnet that shone with what Yuuri could only describe as unadulterated predatory hunger. Those blood-red eyes positively glowed in the early-morning light filtering in through the ornate library windows. They seemed to bore right through to his soul, much as they had done in the dreams he'd come to accept as actual memories. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself too mesmerized to actually form any words. Viktor's gaze promptly lowered, zeroing in on his lips with eerie focus. Shivers ran down Yuuri's spine as every instinct in his body was screaming at him to run, and to get out of there. He suddenly felt like a young fawn in a forest, staring down the beast of prey that was about to devour him. His lips began to quiver slightly, unknowingly further wafting the scent of his blood toward Viktor's sensitive nose. And then, in a blur of movement, Viktorwasdevouring him.

Yuuri suddenly found himself being straddled by Viktor, the weight of the man's body pressing indecently against his own. His lips were completely engulfed by those of Viktor's, and the man's tongue seemed to be everywhere all at once. Viktor licked ravenously at his bottom lip, pausing every so often to suck, nip and nibble at it. Yuuri brought his hands up and wrapped them in the cool and buttery-soft material of Viktor's tunic, clutching at it for dear life. He had memories of kissing Viktor before, of course, but they paled in comparison to the actual act in real time. He hadn't ever kissed anyone before that night last week with Viktor, and felt quite overwhelmed and woefully inept. He whimpered and moaned as Viktor's mouth continued its dance of seduction, powerless to do anything but hold on. He desperately needed to breathe, but Viktor's assault was so all-consuming that he was wholly powerless to do anything to help himself.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Viktor released him from the sweet torment. Yuuri immediately gulped in huge lungfuls of air, gasping and panting as his body tried to take in as much as possible. His chest heaved with effort, and all he could do was slump bonelessly against the sofa. His pants felt uncomfortably tight and his lips were swollen red from all the kissing, but he happily floated in a cloud of bliss. Viktor's hands were then gently cradling his face, and he slowly opened his eyes to look up at a pair of ruby-red orbs. Viktor's eyes were the most incredibly beautiful things he had ever seen, and whether they were blue or red, they always managed to completely captivate him.

"Forgive me for my impulsiveness, Yuuri. I simply could not resist you. Are you alright?"

Yuuri managed to nod back weakly, still too out of breath to form any words.

"Excellent. I shall go prepare some tea for us, then. You need some time to recover. We have some important things to discuss when I return."

Viktor pushed himself off the sofa and stood back up, eyeing the damaged sleeve with disdain before smoothing out his espresso-colored breeches. He turned to leave, but then paused to look back at Yuuri, a devious smile upon his lips.

"There's a restroom over that way just past the romance languages section. It's there, shall you need to take care of any...pressingneeds."

And then in a blur, he was gone, leaving Yuuri behind to contemplate his severe mortification and painful hardness. After a few minutes of unsuccessfully trying to will his erection to go away, he gingerly got up from the sofa and did the waddle of shame to the restroom.

Viktor returned about twenty minutes later, carrying a tea tray, and what Yuuri surmised were freshly baked cookies. He was also wearing a new silk tunic, one in a stunningly attractive shade of emerald green. He smiled as soon as he spotted Yuuri on the sofa, and set everything down on the short coffee table. As Yuuri eyed the delectable selection of cookies and snacks, a burning question came to his mind.

"Viktor...do vampires consume anything other than blood? Do they eat human food as well?"

"No Yuuri, they don't. Human food tastes rather disgusting to a vampire and most will turn their noses up at the mere scent of it. We're still able to enjoy hot tea, however, for which I am most grateful."

Yuuri looked down at the cookies and then back up at Viktor, a quizzical look on his face.

"Did you make these cookies?"

"I did."

"Did you make all the meals I had the last time I was here?"

The silver-haired vampire nodded and Yuuri was absolutely floored.

"Sweet kami, you prepared them all by yourself?! I thought they'd been made by your servants or something!"

Viktor laughed, his mouth forming an adorable heart shape as he did so.

"I'm flattered, I think. No servants, Yuuri. I live here alone."

"But if you don't eat human food, then how do you know how to cook?"

Viktor brought an index finger up to his mouth and winked at the young man.

"It's called YouTube, Yuuri."

Yuuri stared incredulously at Viktor for a few moments before bursting into hearty laughter. He laughed and laughed, unable to stop himself, until tears formed in his eyes. The whole situation was just incredibly funny to him at the moment. Here was an immortal being, kami knows how old, who didn't eat human food but learned how to cook for a human using YouTube. When he was finally able to get a hold of himself, he smiled at the man, genuinely grateful.

"You're incredible, you know that? I'm honored that you'd go through so much trouble just for me."

Viktor reached across and the space between them and took one of Yuuri's hands into his own before bringing it up to his lips and placing a cool and feathery kiss upon it.

"It isIwho am the fortunate one. Your mere presence makes immortality that much more bearable."

Yuuri blushed furiously at the compliment, shyly averting Viktor's gaze and lowering his head as he squirmed with embarrassment. Viktor reached out with his other hand and grasped Yuuri's chin firmly between his thumb and index finger before tilting the youngling's head up.

"Please look at me, Yuuri. Do not deny me the pleasure of staring into your beautiful eyes."

Yuuri slowly lifted his gaze until he was staring back into the blue ones of the man in front of him. And although his heart was galloping away in his chest, he held fast and did not look away.

"Thank you, Yuuri. You have truly pleased me. Now, let's have our tea shall we? I'm going to tell you the story of how I came to be."

Yuuri listened with rapt attention as Viktor began recounting his entire history. When Viktor first mentioned his date of birth, he had asked him to repeat it, certain that he'd misheard. He had not. Viktor had been born in the sixteenth century and was over 500 years old. He had been so shocked by the revelation that he had completely forgotten about the cookie he'd been ready to pop into his mouth. He'd just sat there with his mouth agape, hand frozen halfway up to his mouth. Viktor had simply chuckled at the sight, plucked the cookie from his hand and then fed it to him.

Viktor spoke fondly of his life as a human. How hard he had worked for his power, wealth, and social standing. He had been happy with his life at that time and had been looking forward to enjoying the fruits of his labor. He did not hold such affection for the day he wasturned. Yuuri learned that Viktor saw becoming a vampire as the worst thing that could have possibly happened to him. It had forced him to give up everything he'd worked for, and take on a lifestyle of shadowy seclusion.

Once he had gotten past the unpredictable fledgling phase, he had sold off what he could, cut his losses and left Rus*to travel the world. He had all the time in the world as an immortal being, and started filling it with as many different experiences as possible. He had always been careful to only interact with humans when it was necessary, and feed on them without killing them. Dead bodies only brought unwanted attention.

When he'd been born, Rus was just a tiny little territory, occupying a minuscule percentage of the land it occupies today. When he returned some 200 years later, it was called Russia and had expanded significantly under the Romanov dynasty. It had become a truly prosperous and formidable empire.

So many years later, there was no human who could possibly have been alive to remember him, and he had been free to start a new life for himself. Being a vampire had thankfully not affected his business sense, and he actively began investing in things he saw value in. His first major investment had been the piano in 1709, and it had paid off handsomely. The steam engine came around in 1712, and the submarine in 1776. He'd always been a hands-off investor, often sending others to do business in his stead. He did not like being around humans and avoided them as much has possible.

His great successes of the 18thcentury had carried on into the 19thcentury. He'd made a substantial fortune from the boon of inventions in those one hundred years. There had been the camera, bicycle, refrigerator, telephone, dynamite and electricity. He had also learned English around that time and accumulated quite a few other languages since then. He had used his earnings to buy the deeds to a massive plot of land in the remote wilderness, and commissioned the construction of Moon Lake Manor. He'd purposely had it built according to 16th-centuryGothic architecture that had been popular at the time he was alive. He had always felt a strong connection to that time, and felt more comfortable surrounding himself in everything pertaining to that era. The manor would become his private sanctuary, and in a way...his eternal prison.

He spoke about how he'd met Makkachin, and how the vampire werewolf had eased the loneliness that had been his shadow for hundreds of years. Yuuri had gulped rather nervously upon learning of Makkachin's nature, and Viktor had paused his storytelling to assure him that he was in no danger from Makka, and that the creature had actually quite enjoyed the belly rubs, but would only ever admit it over his own dead body. Yuuri had felt instant relief and was able to settle back down and allow Viktor to finish his narrative.

The pale man before him expressed his thirst for knowledge and how he'd enjoyed chasing down rare documents, manuscripts and novels. His library had grown exponentially each year that he'd been a vampire. He guarded his treasure trove of wisdom jealously, and Yuuri had been the only one to ever see it. A gentle blush colored the young man's cheeks as he felt an inexplicable sense of pride bubble up from deep inside him. He had been the first and only human to ever lay eyes on Viktor's massive library, and that fact alone seemed to please him more than he thought it should. Yuuri waited for Viktor to continue his story, but noticed that the man had suddenly gone silent, and stared unseeing out the nearest window. His eyes had taken on a sad demeanor and the melancholy rolled off him in waves.

"Viktor, are you alright?"

The immortal being seemed to snap out of his reverie at the sound of Yuuri's voice, and turned to face the young man. His eyes were still sad, and there was a small hint of a wistful smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Recently, I'd been feeling very disillusioned with immortality, and started questioning if it was worth going on any longer. I've been so desperately alone forsolong, I just didn't think I could keep existing this way."

Yuuri gasped, horrified by what he had just heard. He was about to stand up and give Viktor a piece of his mind when he suddenly found himself wrapped in a strong pair of arms.

"Shh, worry not my dear Yuuri. I have found a new reason to carry on, and I'm currently holding onto it."

Yuuri sighed as he relaxed and melted into Viktor's embrace. He wrapped his arms around Viktor's waist and tucked his head into the man's chest, hiding his flushed face as he felt a strong and unnamed feeling rose up from within. He made a barely perceptible nod and gave Viktor's waist a little squeeze as he allowed himself to be held.What was it about this man that made him act so out of character?Normally, he was withdrawn and aloof, purposely avoiding this kind of physical contact with others. He didn't seem to mind it if it was Viktor, though. He smiled to himself, realizing that for the first time in a long time, he was happy.

They spent a few more hours in the library that day, with Viktor patiently answering every single question Yuuri threw at him. Only when Yuuri's stomach interrupted them with a loud growl did Viktor insist on making something decent for Yuuri to eat. They relocated to the kitchen and Yuuri was once again struck with awe at how incredible everything in the house was. It had all the modern amenities of a 21st-centurykitchen, but all the details and décor were from the 16th. He drank in the tasteful combination of varying shades of granite, wenge wood and beige marble. He stood in awe, impressed at how beautifully it all came together. The ceiling was arched of course, with the wooden braces of the hammer-beam roof visible, a common Gothic element.

"Please help yourself to anything you want. After you first visited last week, I went out and purchased some basics so that you would be as comfortable as possible."

Yuuri placed his arms rigidly at his sides and bowed deeply toward Viktor.

"Thank you very much! Please forgive the intrusion!"

Viktor smiled as the young man walked to the fridge and opened it to take a look. He recalled from his travels that the Japanese people were very much all about honor and formality. In Yuuri's case, it just made him that much more adorable. Once Yuuri had put together a substantial triple-decker cold cut sandwich with all the fixings, Viktor prepared some fresh tea for them and asked Yuuri to follow him. They walked toward a section of the house Viktor hadn't included in the last tour, and when they went through a set of heavy wooden doors, Yuuri's breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. They had stepped into a stunning Gothic conservatory that overlooked the lake and had a panoramic view of the surrounding forest and mountains. Viktor motioned toward a table right by the giant picture window, and Yuuri walked numbly toward it, unable to tear his eyes away from the dazzling view.

"I apologize for not showing this part of my abode to you earlier, dear Yuuri. I had hoped to save the introduction for this exact moment, when we would have the opportunity to sit here together and watch the sunset."

"Apology...accepted. Sweet kami Viktor, this is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."

As they both sat down at the table, Viktor felt an overwhelming sense of pride at being able to make Yuuri so happy. He'd never had to think about pleasing anyone other than himself before, and it felt strangely empowering to be directly responsible for lighting up so much joy in someone else. He rather liked seeing happiness on Yuuri's face and swore to keep doing whatever he could to never let it fade. They sat together in comfortable silence as they watched the sunset over the lake. Yuuri ate his sandwich slowly and deliberately, not willing to tear his eyes away from the view. Viktor leisurely sipped his tea, content to simply watch the man before him.

Once Yuuri had finished eating, they lapsed into relaxed and easy banter. Companionship was a new concept for Viktor, and he found himself liking it more and more by the second. Sure, he'd had Makkachin with him for a long time, but he just couldn't speak to him face to face like he was doing with Yuuri.

As the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and day morphed into twilight, stars began lighting up the sky, clear and brilliant in the cloudless mountain sky. Viktor took the opportunity to get to know as much as he could about Yuuri, as he was actually curious about the young one's life and experiences. He learned more about the older sister back in Japan and the business his parents ran in the small town he came from. Of his struggles in the pursuit of his dreams and his life in St. Petersburg. Yuuri told him about his excitable hamster-loving roommate, a young Thai man named Phichit. Viktor listened attentively, soaking in every detail and filing all the information for later. When Yuuri mentioned being a fan of classical music, Viktor immediately perked up.

"You are? Can you play any instruments, Yuuri?"

"Yes, I took violin lessons from early childhood right up until I left for university. I just didn't have time to keep up with them after that. I still enjoy playing from time to time."

Viktor clapped his hands together in a clear show of excitement, and his mouth opened in another one of those heart-shaped smiles.

"That's excellent news! Please, come with me."

Viktor abruptly got up from the table and Yuuri scrambled to pick up all the trays and plates. Viktor waved his hand dismissively at the mess, suddenly impatient.

"Don't worry about all that. I'll get to it later. We have somewhere more important we need to be. Come."

Yuuri eyed the mess on the table and hesitated for a brief second before following Viktor out of the conservatory. They walked down yet another corridor he hadn't seen before and then past a gorgeously carved walnut wood door. He stopped to admire the woodwork but was quickly pulled inside the room by Viktor.

"Yuuuuuuuri, You can admire the door later. There is something much better I want you to see."

They walked into a room that was clearly a study of some sort and Yuuri was nearly overwhelmed by all the architectural eye candy. Just when he thought he couldn't possibly find anything more to love about the manor, Viktor would spring another architectural marvel on him. He noticed a rather large painting with torn canvas just behind the heavy oak desk and was immediately drawn to it. As he looked upon it, he felt an unmistakable sense of deja vu. He was certain that he'd seen this painting before, but could not recall ever being in this room before.

As Yuuri eyed the painting over critically, he gingerly picked up the shredded chunk of canvas and pulled it across the space it was meant to occupy. He saw that it was a full-length portrait of a wealthy noble of sorts. The man in the painting was stunning, ethereal even, with long silver hair and eyes as blue as the sea back home in Hasetsu. He was also strangely familiar.

"Yuuri, you're incorrigible! I bet goldfish have more of an attention span than you do!"

Yuuri chuckled at Viktor's astute observation. People often said that about him, for he'd always been easily distracted, especially when beautiful architecture was involved.

"Viktor, is this…you?"

The man sighed heavily at Yuuri's question, a slight hint of exasperation in the sound.

"Yes Yuuri, it is. And I promise that I'll answer any questions you have about the paintinglater, but for now…"

Viktor walked over to the young man, grabbed him by the arm and practically dragged him away from the painting. He then placed his hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him down onto a super comfy burgundy-colored velvet chair.

"…I want you to sit here and close your eyes. No cheating…I'll know!"

Yuuri giggled at this cute and excitable side of Viktor. The man was usually so serious and reserved, so it was quite refreshing to see him like this. The excitement was contagious, and Yuuri found himself eager for whatever surprise Viktor had in store for him.

"I promise. Look, I'll even use my hands to cover my eyes."

Yuuri brought his hands up and formed a tight seal over his eyes, making sure that no light filtered in. Viktor stood there and watched him quietly for a few moments, just to make sure that Yuuri wasn't going to try and trick him. Satisfied that he could take the young man at his word, he left the room. He was back in less than a minute, a large hard case in his hands. He placed the case on the table in front of Yuuri's chair and asked him to open his eyes. The young man removed the hands covering his eyes and blinked a few times as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. He immediately noticed the case on the table and looked up at Viktor, wide-eyed and with breathless expectation.

"Is this…?"

"Why don't you open it and find out?"

Yuuri unlocked the case, his trembling hands causing the latches to rattle a bit. When he lifted the lid, his eyes grew impossibly larger and he simply stared, dumbfounded, at the item within. Inside was what could only be described as the violin legends were made of. He ached to touch it, to see if it was the real thing or not. Viktor was by his side in an instant, handing him a pair of gloves.

"Go head, just make sure you put these on first."

Yuuri nodded numbly, and then somehow managed to pull the gloves on despite his shaking hands. Viktor guided Yuuri's hands toward the instrument, and together they carefully removed it from its case. Yuuri simply held it in his hands for a few minutes, eyes drinking in all the details and patterns in the wood, the elegant neck, sturdy strings, and funnel-shaped tailpiece. Once his hands had finally stopped shaking, he took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, further calming himself down. He turned the violin over, immediately spotting the telltale label.

Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis

Faciebat Anno 1717

L'immortale

Yuuri gasped in shock, and immediately felt extremely thankful that he was already sitting down. He felt pretty certain that he would have passed out in a dead faint had he not been. His mind raced as he went through the mental list of every Stradivarius violin still in circulation and did not see "L'immortale" on it. He looked up at Viktor, eyes shining with awe and wonder as he arrived at the only possible conclusion.

"He…he gave this…to you?!"

Viktor smiled as he nodded and ran a gloved hand lovingly along the varnished wood.

"I first came across him in 1660, when he had just started making decent violins. I'd been passing through Cremona and heard him playing in a field. He was already so talented for someone so young, having created a violin of such stunning quality at the tender age of 16. But my ears detected a few imperfections in the sound, and so I approached him and asked him if he would play a piece for me. He seemed rather pleased at the time that someone would want to hear him play, so he happily did so. He played one half of the Duo Seraphim, Vesper number 7 of theVespro della Beata Vergineby Claudio Monteverdi. He was very popular composer at the time, being one of Cremona's most famous sons."

Yuuri was absolutely awestruck. Viktor had actuallymetAntonio Stradivari. Hell, he had even heard him play his own violin. His brain went into overdrive, and he struggled to make sense of the information before him. He knew that it shouldn't be possible for someone who was around in 1660 to be walking and talking nearly four hundred years later, but here Viktor was…defying the laws of the world. The inscription on the violin made sense now, "L'immortale" meant "The Immortal".Does that mean Stradivari knew Viktor was a vampire?

"He wasn't so happy to hear my criticisms though, and cursed me out magnificently in Italian. The violin's shape was asymmetrical, you see, and therefore flawed. I told him about it, but he was unwilling to listen to someone who wasn't even a luthier*. I lamented his arrogance at the time, stating that he would never be able to move forward until he accepted his own shortcomings. I left him behind in that field that day and carried on with my travels."

Yuuri tried to recall everything he'd read about Antonio Stradivari. *1Reliable sources had always claimed that the man had been brash and prematurely full of himself back in his youth. He hadn't been very good at taking criticism and lashed out at any who dared to challenge him. It had been like that until one day everything seemed to change for him. No one knew how this change came about and it was a very mysterious period of his life.

"You ran into him again."

Viktor smiled as he nodded, his perfectly white teeth shimmering in the lamplight.

"How clever you are, Yuuri. Yes, I did see him again, almost forty years later. His instruments were of much better quality by then, but still lacked that somethingspecialthey eventually ended up having. He was very shocked to see me, noticing immediately that I had not aged at all during all this time. He demanded to know how it was possible, and I promised I would tell him…for a price."

"Y-y-you d-d-drank f-from h-him?!"

Viktor laughed, a deep and boisterous sound that made Yuurifeelthings.

"Oh Yuuri, you are much too adorable for your own good. No, I did not drink from him. I simply demanded that he stop being such a stubborn mule, take the blinders off and actuallylistento someone for a change. I vowed to make his violins the best in the world. So we struck a deal and the rest, as they say, is history."

"So he made thisjust for you?"

"He did."

Yuuri looked back down at the instrument, and traced the simple but elegant design with his gloved index finger. He was holding a piece of history in his hands, and he felt incredibly humbled, albeit also a little bit jealous. He was living out just about every violinist's wet dream…he was holding a Strad.

"Please play for me, Yuuri."

Yuuri's head shot up and his heart skipped a beat. Had he heard correctly?

"What?"

"Play for me. I learned some basic skills, but never bothered to put any real effort into it. L'immortale is one of Antonio's masterpieces, and I dare say it's pure perfection. I have always wanted to know how it would sound when played by someone with the right skills and talent."

Yuuri was immediately shot to the brink of hyperventilation as he processed Viktor's words.

"No, no, no, no, no. I'm not good at all! I'm just a dime-a-dozen violin hobbyist. You couldn't possibly want me to sully such an incredible…"

"Yuuri, look at me."

Yuuri's gaze slowly lifted and he finally managed to stare up at Viktor, his eyes wide and wild with panic.

"I want you to play this violin for me. Hearing you play would make meveryhappy. Don't you want to make me happy, Yuuri?"

When his eyes glanced into the bottomless blue depths of Viktor's orbs, he suddenly experienced a wave of calm serenity wash over him. He felt all warm and fuzzy inside, like he was wrapped in a comforting hug. His anxiety seemed to melt right off and the only thing that mattered was making Viktor happy.

"Is Tchaikovsky OK?"

Viktor clapped his hands together in barely-contained excitement.

"Oh Yuuri! Yes, Tchaikovsky is perfect!"

Yuuri nodded once, and then went about getting ready. He transferred the violin to his left hand, holding it gingerly by the neck. He then removed the bow from the protective casing and brought the violin up, tucking it under his chin so that it was resting on the tailpiece. Yuuri started out hesitantly at first, as he discovered and got to know all the little nuances of the instrument. He started out with Swan Lake, which was a good choice as it started out slowly and covered an entire octave. As his confidence grew, so did his ability on the violin. It all started coming back to him then, all the years of practice and instrumental knowledge. His movements became smoother and the music he produced richer. Viktor listened, absolutely enthralled, as Yuuri transitioned beautifully into the faster sections of the song.

Swan Lake turned into the Pas de Deux from Nutcracker and then Sleeping Beauty. He nearly wept at the mellow brilliance of Pachabel's Canon in D, while Barber's Adagio for Strings' darkness resonated within his very soul, nearly bringing forth tears of a different nature. He played Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Schubert, Debussy, Arensky …each piece more magnificent than the one before. Viktor sat, eyes closed, as he allowed the music to take him on a journey. Each song Yuuri played was like a vivid sojourn back in time and brought forth a few memories he'd long forgotten. Music had always been a balm for his soul, and had managed to get him through some very melancholy times. He wished that he could hear Yuuri play for him forever.If only humans didn't…

Viktor's eyes suddenly snapped open and he cursed himself for not noticing how tired the young man had gotten. Sweat had formed on his brow, his breathing had become more strained and his body trembled slightly from the effort to keep going. He realized then that Yuuri would have gone on playing for him until he dropped, and that the youngling was willing to push himself beyond his limits if it made him happy. He stared at the young man, awestruck. He had not used his power on him to compel him to play, he had simply helped calm the panic within him. The decision to carry on playing had been made entirely on his own. He waited for Yuuri to finish his current piece and then stood up, clapping his hands as he walked toward him.

"Bravo Yuuri, that was positively magnificent. You most certainly did that violin justice."

Yuuri smiled brightly, his flushed face lighting up with delight.

"Thank you, it felt really good to play again."

The young man looked down at the string instrument in his hand, the wonder and reverence clearly reflecting on his visage.

"Mr. Stradivarius certainly outdid himself on this one. I've never heard such a rich and beautiful sound before. It's almost like it sang each note."

Viktor reached out to take the violin and bow from the young man and then placed them back into the case. He then put his hands on Yuuri's shoulders and gently steered him toward the nearest chair.

"Yes, and you played them all sensationally. Thank you for the private concert, I enjoyed myself immensely."

Another gentle push later and Yuuri was actually sitting down.

"Really? Are you sure? I mean...I'm not a professional or anything...I..."

"Yuuri, I think you sell yourself too short. You're much more talented than you think you are. I'm truly happy, thank you."

Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.If Viktor was happy with how he'd played, then who was he to question his enjoyment?

"Stay here, Yuuri. I will go get us a fresh batch of tea. You must be quite tired after all that incredible playing. I'll bring you back a snack as well."

Yuuri smiled and leaned back into the chair, making himself more comfortable.

"Thank you, Viktor. I appreciate it."

When Viktor returned with a fresh pot of tea and snacks, he found Yuuri passed out, snoring away softly. His eyes softened as he looked at the young man, and set the tray down on the coffee table before kneeling down next to the chair. He reached out and brushed some hair from the young man's eyes before removing his glasses, folding them and putting them on the table next to the violin case. He knelt there next to the sleeping man for quite some time, simply happy to watch him sleep. His eyes followed the gentle rise and fall of Yuuri's chest as he took each breath, and was keenly aware of the soft noises that slipped past his soft lips with each one.He's so beautiful and perfect. Finding him has made those miserable 500 years all worthwhile. I would gladly endure another thousand just to keep him by my side.

He picked up the tray and walked back to the kitchen, deciding instead on cooking a hearty dinner. He wanted to reward Yuuri for all his hard work and so got the idea to bake a cake for him as well. He set to work on getting everything ready, his superhuman speed coming in really handy with all the chopping, mixing and stirring. He ran out and easily caught and killed a plump pheasant. He plucked and gutted it, leaving the entrails out for Makkachin. He stuffed seasoned butter under its skin and surrounded it with wild potatoes, carrots, beans and yams. All the separate courses were ready in no time, and he put all the pots in the broiler to keep them warm. He then ran back to the library and called out Yuuri's name. After a bit of gentle nudging, the young man finally opened his eyes and stared up with confusion at Viktor's face.

"Did I…fall asleep?"

"You did. You were quite tired after your violin concerto."

Yuuri yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head.

"I'm sorry Viktor, that was very rude of me. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"Worry not about such trivial things, dear Yuuri. You were tired and you needed rest. Now come with me, I have prepared a bath for you."

Yuuri's ears perked up at the mention of a bath, but then he remembered how far away the bathroom was and groaned.

"I don't know if my legs can get me up all those stairs right now."

Viktor smiled mischievously at the young man, the only sign of warning Yuuri got before he was scooped up into Viktor's arms.

"V-V-Viktor! What are you doing?!"

"If my guest of honor is too exhausted afterpleasing me, then I shall personally ferry that guest to his destination."

Yuuri sputtered incoherently as he struggled helplessly in Viktor's arms.

"I-I-It's fine! I can walk! I can walk!"

"Nonsense. Now please hold on tight."

Yuuri tightened his grip on Viktor's tunic a split second before the world suddenly blurred all around him. He felt the air rush by him, and he closed his eyes as his stomach complained about the abrupt rapid movement. It was all over before he knew it, and when he reopened his eyes, he saw that he was standing in the guest bathroom. Viktor set him down gently on his feet, steadying him when he wobbled slightly.

"Once you're done with your bath, please come down to the dining room. I have prepared a hearty dinner for you."

And then, in another blur of movement, he was gone. Yuuri was left standing there with his mouth open and only his disbelief to keep him company.

Dinner was absolutely spectacular and Yuuri ate quite a bit more than he'd originally planned on. The wild pheasant was perfectly roasted and the veggies seasoned just right. There had also been wild rice risotto and warm pasta salad. The crowning glory of the meal had been the chocolate cake, and Viktor had been unabashedly prideful when Yuuri hadn't been able to stop moaning in appreciation with each bite.

"Are you sure you weren't a famous chef in a past life? For someone who claims to not have cooked in centuries, you've certainly outdone yourself!"

"Ah Yuuri, you flatter me. Producing such meals is quite easy…with the right inspiration. And you, my dear, have inspired me like nothing else."

Yuuri instantly became adorably flustered, that delicious blush rising to his cheeks once more. He opened his mouth to say something in protest, but what came out was a loud and prolonged yawn instead.

"Come now Yuuri, let's get you to bed."

The blush on the young man's face morphed into a lovely shade of beet red and, he stood up, intending to excuse himself from the table. He didn't get very far before he found himself in Viktor's arms once again.

"Viktor, put me down! I'm fully capable of walking there on my own!"

"I'm fully aware. However, I quite like how you feel in my arms, so please forgive me for indulging myself."

"But Viktor, I don't…I don't think my stomach could handle vampire speed…I…"

"I can also move at 'human speed' you know. Or have you forgotten?"

Yuuri sighed, knowing full well that he just wasn't going to be able to dissuade Viktor from carrying him back up to his room. So he crossed his arms and pouted, resolving himself to his fate. Viktor chuckled at the childish but charming display, unable to resist the urge to place a kiss on the young man's forehead. Yuuri blushed even harder and buried his face in Viktor's tunic before muttering a "Fine, let's just get this over with."

He was asleep before they'd even made it halfway up to his room. Viktor walked the rest of the way in slow and stealthy silence, content to prolong his contact with Yuuri's warm body. Eventually he found himself standing next to the bed in the master guest suite, and pulled back the covers with one hand as he held onto Yuuri with the other. He lowered Yuuri smoothly down onto the silk sheets, and then brought the blanket up to cover him. He bent down once again and placed one last kiss on the young one's forehead, whispered good night into his ear and then was gone.

terminology

Rus– the name Russia was known as from the 16th century (when it was just a teeny tiny tsardom). In 1515 (Viktor's year of birth in this story), Rus was quite large and had other territories as well: Finnmark (present day Northern Norway and Finland), Ostrobothnia (today part of Finland).

Duo Seraphim- (Vesper N7) of the Vespro della Beata Vergine - https//watch?v=CeZZcarSb8o this is with cellos and a bass, but try to imagine it with a single violin LOL.

Vespro della Beata Vergine- Vespers of the Blessed Virgin. One of Claudio Monteverdi's extended compositions, circa 1616

luthier– a maker of stringed instruments, such as violins.

*1- this is my artistic license in action here. Not much is actually known about Stradivarius' childhood.


	7. Chapter 7

Yuuri awoke sometime in the middle of the night to a seemingly unquenchable thirst. His mouth was incredibly dry and his throat felt completely parched, as if devoid of any moisture. When he sat up, he realized that he was in bed, but could not immediately recall how he'd gotten there. He quickly pushed the thought out of his head, it wasn't important. His body felt like it was on fire, and nothing other than getting water into him mattered at the moment.The kitchen. There was water in the kitchen, he had to get to the kitchen. Thirsty…so thirsty.

He threw the sheets off his body and fumbled around for his glasses, slipping them on once he found them. He then walked out of the room, stumbling around a bit in his heat haze. By the time he got to the stairs, his shirt was off and discarded haphazardly on the floor. At the first landing he lost his right sock. At the second he lost the left one. His jogging pants then came off and joined the other articles in a clear clothing trail to the kitchen. The only item that remained on his body was his black boxer briefs, and he seemed content to leave those on for now.

His skin thankfully felt much cooler in the chilly overnight air, and the cold marble flooring beneath his bare feet was helping to temper the flames he felt licking at his flesh from the inside. He managed to find his way to the kitchen and eagerly made his way to the sink. He looked around for a cup, but had no idea where they were kept and didn't want to waste time looking for one. So he turned on the tap and put his mouth right to it, greedily taking in mouthfuls of crisp and refreshing water. He drank, and drank, but the water just didn't seem to be putting out the fire within.

"Yuuri? What are you doing?"

Startled, he stepped back from the tap, water dribbling out from the corner of his mouth and down his chest as he did so. A thick beam of moonlight trickled in through the skylight, flooding a corner of the kitchen with its ethereal moonbeams. In that beam stood a man he thought he recognized. He blinked a few times in an attempt to focus , but still could not recall the man's name. His mind felt all muddled and fuzzy and he struggled to think clearly. The man's chiseled bare torso was also distracting him from his thoughts, and he just stared, marveling at the beauty before him. The man was wearing a pair of indecently high-cut bikini briefs that perfectly accentuated his body in all the right places. His pale skin and hair glowed in the moon's luminescence, and a pair of sapphire-blue eyes gleamed and smoldered despite the cool light.

"Yuuri? Are you alright? О Боже, where are your clothes?"

The man was closer now and Yuuri could clearly see his face.I know this man.Yuuri racked his brain for a name.Vincent? Viggo? Vito? Vik...?

"Viktor?"

"Yes Yuuri, it's me. What are you doing half naked in my kitchen in the middle of the night?"

The heat fog currently clouding Yuuri's mind lifted temporarily and he looked down to see that he was, indeed, half naked. A wave of pure embarrassment washed over him like a bucket of ice water, and he crossed his arms in front of him in an attempt to cover himself.

"I-I don't…know. I just…I think…I needed water?"

Viktor eyed the young man before him critically. Something was off about Yuuri, and he wasn't as lucid or coherent as he usually was. He opened a nearby drawer and pulled out a hand towel before stepping directly in front of the young man.

"You're wet. Let's get you dried off and get you back to bed before you catch a cold or something."

Yuuri's eyes grew wide and he shook his head as he tried to get away from the man before him.

"N-n-no…I'm fine! I'll go back to my room and…do it myself!"

Viktor ignored Yuuri's statement and kept moving forward. It caused Yuuri to back away from him until he was inevitably backed into the counter and had nowhere else to go.

"You are myguest, and I have vowed to take care ofallyour needs. I'm not letting you go until I get my way."

Yuuri gulped, fully aware that Viktor wasveryserious and just wasn't going to drop it. So after a few tense moments, he lowered his trembling arms, and held his clenched fists rigidly at his sides.

"Beautiful, Yuuri. I amsopleased. Your compliance greatly delights me."

Yuuri bit down on his lower lip, trying not to let on just how much Viktor's words affected him. As the cloth brushed up against his bare skin, he hissed as the material felt rough against his skin. Viktor made comforting noises as he first wiped down Yuuri's chest and then his arms, only stopping once he was satisfied that all the water was gone. Just before he removed the cloth, however, he noticed a few drops speckling the skin just above Yuuri's right nipple. He had purposely avoided those areas in an effort to not make Yuuri any more uncomfortable than he already was, but couldn't very well allow himself to do anything but a thorough job. He had scented the young man's interest in the air earlier, so he knew that his advances would not be spurned. His mouth formed a wicked smile.I suppose it can't be helped.

Viktor dragged the cloth slowly and deliberately over Yuuri's nipple, and the young man's reaction was immediate. A little moan managed to sneak past his lips before a hand flew up to cover his mouth. Viktor moved over to the left one and repeated the action, making sure to return for a second pass…just in case he'd missed any drops the first time around. Yuuri's entire body quivered at the action and he simply could not hold back the muffled whimpers that were ripped from his throat.

"Yuuri, you sly little minx. You are trying to seduce me, aren't you?"

The young man immediately opened his eyes and removed the hand from his mouth.

"What? No! I was hot…and I…I just needed some water!"

Viktor hummed to himself as he raked his eyes over Yuuri's entire body, causing the young man to blush profusely. He leaned in close, his face mere inches from Yuuri's. When he opened his mouth, he practically purred as he spoke.

"You were not dressed likethiswhen I carried you up to bed earlier. One does not simply strip off nearly all their clothes for a mere glass of water. Admit it Yuuri, you are purposely trying to tempt me with your salacious little body."

Yuuri covered his face with both hands and muttered a few lamentations in what Viktor presumed was Japanese. Seeing that Yuuri was distracted, he seized the opportunity to sneak in closer. He placed an arm at either side of the young man's body, pinning him up against the counter. Yuuri's hands immediately fell from his face and he gasped. He could feel the coolness radiating from Viktor's body, and felt inexplicably drawn to it. Water didn't seem to matter anymore, and his thirst abated immediately. The fogginess cleared from his mind, and Yuuri was suddenly very lucid and acutely aware that he was severely overexposed in front of a horribly attractive vampire.

"You see. Even now, your innocence taunts me. There is so much Eros simmering there under your skin, and you don't even realize it."

Yuuri found it really hard not to balk at that. He didn't know what Viktor could possibly be talking about. He was a very average-looking, sexually inexperienced nobody, and couldn't fathom what the vampire ever saw in him.The only thing of value he could feasibly offer him was…

"You're…you're just after my blood."

Viktor looked down at Yuuri's face, the confusion on it clear.

"Pardon?"

Yuuri lowered his head, causing his face to become obscured from Viktor's view. He was ashamed of all the pitiful misery and disappointment he was feeling at the moment, and did not want Viktor to see it.

"You don't actually wantme. You just want what I can give you."

A low growl was the only bit of warning Yuuri got before everything blurred around him and he suddenly found himself pulled tightly against Viktor's bare chest.

"Youdarequestion my motives? Trust me young one, if all I'd wanted from you was your blood, I would have simply taken it and had my fill of itagesago. A vampire does not have to ask for anything. We have the power to simply take whatever we want."

A sudden chill ran down Yuuri's spine, as if he'd just fallen through the ice of a frozen river. For the first time since they'd met, he felt genuine fear. He had been too naïve and gotten himself in over his head without really having thought things through. Before the fear fully took hold, however, Viktor was there running his hands through his hair, whispering sweet reassurances into his ear.

"Shh, shhh…none of that now. My deepest apologies, it was not my intention to frighten you. Do you truly not know how much you, your body, yourvery soul…affect me?"

Yuuri remained frozen to the spot, not trusting himself to speak. He dipped his head once more, trying to hide his face in the crook of Viktor's neck. Viktor wasn't going to have any ofthat, however, and promptly turned Yuuri around so that his back was pressed up against his chest. Viktor ran a cool hand up and down Yuuri's chest, enraptured by how quickly the young man's nipples hardened under his touch, and how many lovely little sounds he was able to draw out from him. He then pushed his hips forward, pressing his very noticeable erection against Yuuri's delectable backside. The young man's surprised squeak brought a smile to his face, and he pushed his hardness forward slowly and rhythmically, savoring the pliant feeling of Yuuri's flesh as well as its warmth.

As he relished the feeling of Yuuri's body against his, Viktor skirted the upper limits of his control. He wanted more…hadto have more of Yuuri. He began running his hands all over Yuuri's neck, shoulders and upper back, periodically reaching around to the front to do the same over his abdomen and chest. His hands began to move faster, and before he knew it, he was moving his whole body back and forth, appearing to be occupying every inch of space around the young man.

Yuuri was in the ninth circle of heaven. It felt as if he was being touched by two Viktors at the same time, and he could barely contain the lewd sounds that were spilling forth from him. Impossibly, he felt Viktor's hands running down his back and cupping his ass, while they simultaneously stroked his chest and playfully pinched his nipples. He was feeling deliciously overwhelmed by all the sensations flooding his body, and shamelessly craved more. Viktor was very aroused at the moment, and Yuuri wasveryaware of the growing hardness pressing up against him from both sides. His own arousal was becoming painfully clear and every time Viktor's pushed against it, he practically saw stars.

"Do you not see, Yuuri? How your own body reacts to mine?"

"Ah…haah…ahhhhh."

Viktor slowed things back down and walked Yuuri backward until he was pushed up snugly against the wall. He brought both hands up to the young man's face and caressed it, taking in Yuuri's mussed up appearance and the enticing flush on his face. Yuuri was speechless, too dazed to formulate any coherent words at the moment. He was breathing quite heavily and all he could do was hold on to Viktor's upper arms for support. Viktor was relentless, however, and released his face so that he could place soft butterfly kisses along Yuuri's collarbone. Viktor's lips slowly moved up higher on Yuuri's body, climbing up the smooth column of his throat and briefly pausing to lick the spot where he'd bitten him before. Yuuri arched his back and cried out, instinctively pulling Viktor closer. The action crushed their hardened flesh together, and Viktor clenched his fists as he fought to maintain control. He groaned loudly as the scent of Yuuri's arousal spiked and saturated the air in the room.

"Yuuuuuuuri, you're going to push me over the edge if you keep doing things like that."

"Ahh, mhmm. Sor…ry…feels s'good."

Viktor growled, a low rumble that reverberated deep in his chest and caused Yuuri to whimper and wantonly pull him even closer. Viktor's nostrils flared as he scented the air and took in Yuuri's addictive essence, feeling his fangs begin to elongate as he did so. The beast within him was pleased,very pleasedwith the new developments. It screamed at him to claim Yuuri as his own and clamored for another taste of the young man's blood. He brought his lips up till they hovered mere millimeters from Yuuri's, until he could feel the young man's hot breath against his skin. He desperately wanted a slow and tender kiss while he was still himself, a properly tender one that wasn't fueled by bloodlust. As he contemplated his next step, Yuuri closed the short gap between them and initiated the kiss on his own.

Yuuri's lips applied a tentative and almost shy pressure to Viktor's lips. Viktor pushed back lightly, encouraging Yuuri to continue but without trying to overpower him. He knew the youngling was rather inexperienced and wanted to give him the chance to take things at his own pace. Yuuri pushed his lips against Viktor's once more, applying a bit more pressure this time around. A warm tongue darted out and slid wetly over Viktor's lower lip, drawing out a contented moan from the man. Feeling somewhat emboldened by Viktor's response, Yuuri's tongue grew more daring and adventurous. It darted into Viktor's mouth and explored every inch within its reach. It lovingly caressed one of Viktor's fangs and the vampire's entire body shook in response. Yuuri angled his mouth and deepened the kiss, finally coaxing Viktor's tongue into play. Their erect organs pushed and slid against one another as the room filled with the sounds of their moans and Yuuri's heavy breathing. Yuuri's hands slid up Viktor's shoulders and neck before finally tangling in the lush silver locks. He tugged and pulled at the hair in an effort to bring Viktor's body even closer, but caused Viktor to break the kiss instead.

"Yuuri, I can't hold back anymore. I want you, I need you. Will you be mine?"

Yuuri was unable to speak for a few moments as he fought to catch his breath. He was somewhat envious of Viktor, who didn't have breath to become breathless with. Once he had recovered enough to speak, his answer was brief, concise and to the point.

"Yes."

And then, just as it had happened in the library earlier, he was devoured. Viktor's tongue worked his mouth and lips masterfully, eliciting a full range of moans, whimpers and gasps. Viktor's talented mouth carried on unrelentingly, very much playing Yuuri like an instrument for his own pleasure. Viktor's hands then slid down to cup each one of Yuuri's firm but pliable ass cheeks, and the young man immediately lifted his legs off the ground and wrapped them around the man's waist. Space blurred around them and Yuuri felt a tiny twinge of queasiness as he realized that they were moving. It was over just a short moment later as he felt himself being lowered onto a marvelously soft bed. Viktor slowly pulled away from him, peppering his face with feather-light kisses as he withdrew. A hand pushed Yuuri's hair off his forehead and removed his glasses before coming back to stroke his cheeks. Yuuri opened his lust-laden eyes to stare at Viktor's attractive face, bewitched by how the flickering shadows of a nearby lamp danced across his strong and angled jawline. He lay there motionless on his back, so completely out of breath that it was all he could do.

"There's something I need to get. Stay here, wait for me."

Yuuri nodded numbly and watched in awe as Viktor blurred out of sight. Of course he'd stay and wait, he didn't think he could have moved even if he'd wanted to. His body felt so incredibly boneless, as if all his strength had drained from him. As he shifted slightly to make himself more comfortable, his erection strained against his form-fitting boxer briefs. He was painfully aroused and when he looked down, he was embarrassed to see a rather large wet spot down the front. Both hands came up to cover his face as the reality of the situation fully hit him. He was rock-hard and half-naked on Viktor's bed, knowing full well that the beautiful man somehow found him attractive and wanted to be with him. And although he had never been intimate with anyone, male or female, he was under no illusions of what was about to happen next. Yuuri immediately felt a wave of anxious panic rise within him and realized that he had to distract himself with something before it galloped out of control.

So he decided to pass the time by looking around the room instead. It was yet another room he had not seen before, an opulent master bedroom that could only be Viktor's private suite. He was sprawled out on a four-poster canopy bed that looked large enough to sleep about six people, the silk sheets sinfully smooth and cool against his feverish skin. The light fixtures seemed to all be torches, oil lamps or candles of some sort. It was the most period-accurate room of the entire manor, given that the other rooms he'd been in had all been fitted with modern lighting fixtures. They were a very nice touch and added a crucial layer of authenticity to the décor. He was about to dissect the furniture and furnishings when Viktor blurred back into the room. He was holding some kind of plant in his hand, a spiky succulent by the looks of it.

"Viktor, what is that?"

Viktor simply smiled mysteriously and then winked conspiratorially at the young man as he brushed something gritty from his shoulders and upper body.

"Is that…sand?!"

"Sorry about that Yuuri, you'll just have to wait and see when the time comes."

Viktor then turned around to place the plant on the nightstand nearby, giving Yuuri an unobstructed view of his exposed cheeks. He had totally not been prepared for that, and coughed and sputtered violently at the sight. Viktor immediately looked over his shoulder, concerned by the sounds Yuuri was making.

"Yuuri? What…"

"Where are the rest of your…your…?"

Viktor looked down at what Yuuri was pointing at and chuckled heartily.

"I admit that G-string bikini briefs don't quite fit in with the Gothic period theme I have going on here, but I fell in love with them the moment I laid eyes upon them. I love how good they make my ass look. Don't you think they make my ass look good, Yuuri?"

Yuuri groaned as he tore his gaze from Viktor's luscious backside. He was so envious of how open and comfortable the man was with his own sexuality. He practically oozed confidence from every single pore, and had a million and one different reasons to do so. Yuuri glanced down at his own body, and a sickly sense of inferiority began creeping up on him.There is no way I could ever even dream of competing with Viktor's perfect body, he was just not…Yuuri felt a disturbance in the air around him, and then Viktor was right there next to him. Before he knew it, he was being unceremoniously flipped over onto his stomach.

"Ah! Viktor, what the…?"

"Your ass is so beautiful to me, Yuuri. I've thought of nearly nothing else since our night together last week."

Viktor leaned down and placed a kiss on each of Yuuri's clothed cheeks, causing the young man to bury his face in the sheets in embarrassment. He then grabbed the hem of Yuuri's boxer briefs and slowly tugged them down until his backside was exposed. Viktor took a fleshy globe into each hand and gave them both a firm squeeze, extracting some rather lovely sounds from Yuuri as he did so. His mouth then joined his hands, and soon Viktor was caressing Yuuri's butt while he rained down kisses on every inch of the unblemished surface.

Yuuri began to twist and wiggle under Viktor's attentions, and before he knew it his hips were moving on their own, pushing and rutting against the silk sheets beneath him. He was feeling incredibly turned on at the moment and the bed was currently providing just the right amount of friction.

"You're so beautiful Yuuri, absolutely exquisite. Come now, let me look at you properly."

Viktor turned Yuuri over onto his back and lowered his face until his nose was pressed right up against the big wet spot on Yuuri's boxer briefs. He inhaled deeply, a growl rising up in his throat as Yuuri's musky scent filled his senses and engraved itself forever in his memory. Yuuri's entire body shook and trembled as Viktor's growl resounded all along his hardened length. He felt himself twitch a few times, and more precum was produced, adding to the growing wet spot beneath Viktor's nose. The man nuzzled the site in an attempt to get closer to the scent, and Yuuri whimpered as he became impossibly harder.

Viktor took another deep breath and Yuuri heard a lustier and more primal-sounding growl. And just when he didn't think things could get any better, Viktor's tongue darted out and began lapping at the same spot. Yuuri's back arched right off the bed, his cries of ecstasy echoing in the room as Viktor's cool tongue exacted sweet torture upon him. Finally, Viktor carefully pulled Yuuri's boxer briefs off the rest of the way, finally freeing his straining erection. The young man sighed with relief, his hardened flesh twitching earnestly in the cool air.

Viktor kissed, licked, nuzzled and caressed Yuuri's body, slowly making love to it with his hands and tongue. He grinned wickedly, pride building up within him as the young man writhed and thrashed helplessly before him. The youngling's whines, moans and mewls filled the air, and Viktor decided to finally reward him with release. Without any warning, he lowered his mouth down onto Yuuri's weeping cock and took him down to the root in one fell swoop. Yuuri howled. His hands instantly shot up, his fingers threading themselves in Viktor's luscious locks in an attempt to still the man's movements, but Viktor was not to be deterred. He bobbed his head up and down along Yuuri's length, savoring the bitter salty tang of Yuuri's unique taste, and basking in the heat radiating from him. Viktor closed his eyes and moaned, the vibrations from the act causing Yuuri to arch off the bed once more.

"K-kami, Viktor! I'm…ah…going…a-ahhh!"

Viktor knew that Yuuri was nearing release and prepared himself to receive everything the young man had to offer. Not being biologically required to breathe was coming in really handy at the moment as he was able to take Yuuri in down deep, right to the back of his throat. Yuuri's orgasm hit him hard and fast, his hips jerking wildly off the bed as his hands twisted and pulled at Viktor's hair. His release went on and on, spurting rhythmically down Viktor's throat. The man's eyes were locked onto Yuuri's splendidly debauched face as he swallowed down every single drop of the young one's release.

Meanwhile. Yuuri was helpless do anything but ride out the endless wave of euphoria. He'd been on edge for so long and Viktor's mouth just felt too good. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his cock dried up and he finally began to soften. Viktor allowed the spent cock to slip out of his mouth and then crawled over to lie down next to Yuuri. He snuggled in close and traced soothing circles on Yuuri's chest while the young man caught his breath. He burrowed his nose in the crook of Yuuri's neck, content to just breathe in his irresistible scent. Once he had recovered sufficiently, Yuuri brought a hand up to caress Viktor's shoulder and pull him in closer against his body.

"That was…uhm…really amazing. Th-thank you."

Viktor pushed up, propping himself onto his elbow so that he could look at Yuuri's face.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it, it was extremely pleasurable for me as well."

"Did you…also…um…you know…"

Viktor chuckled as he brought a hand up to stroke Yuuri's cheek, an impish sparkle flashing briefly in his eyes.

"Tonight is all aboutyoudearest Yuuri, and my pleasure will come from yours."

"But I also want you to…"

Viktor leaned down, closing the gap between them, effectively silencing Yuuri by capturing his lips in a torturously tender kiss. Yuuri's muffled moans disappeared into Viktor's mouth, greedily smothered and swallowed by the man's lips. When Viktor eventually pulled away, Yuuri found himself dazed and completely hard once more. Viktor looked down at Yuuri's erect cock and hummed in appreciation.

"Your stamina is truly a marvel, my dear. I'm going to have to do my best to burn some of that out of you before we make love tonight."

Yuuri's face reddened predictably at such a comment and he squirmed awkwardly in Viktor's embrace.

"Yuuri my dear, there is no shame in sharing your body with a lover. Sex can be a wonderful thing, if done properly, and it brings lovers together in ways nothing else can."

Yuuri buried his face in Viktor's hair, knowing deep down that the man was right and that what he'd said made complete sense, but still struggling with the conservative and inexperienced side of him.

"How about I just show you, then? What do you say we go ahead and take care of the situation we have going on here."

Viktor reached down and gave Yuuri's hard cock a firm squeeze, causing Yuuri to yelp and nearly fly right off the bed.

"C-c-cold!"

Viktor gasped and apologized profusely, immediately contrite.

"Forgive me Yuuri, I had forgotten that my body temperature can be a bit of a shock to the warm-blooded. Allow me to rectify my mistake."

Viktor blurred out of the room and then returned about a minute later with a bowl of what he hoped was warm water.

"Please check this for me Yuuri. Let me know if it's a good temperature or not."

Yuuri dipped an index finger into the bowl he was being offered, withdrawing it immediately.

"It's a bit hot right now, but should be fine in about a minute or so. What are you going to do with it?"

"I'm going to use it to warm my hands up so that we don't have any more unpleasant surprises tonight."

Viktor set the bowl down on the nightstand and then stood up and walked over to the plant he'd walked in earlier with. He them pulled off one long pointed leaf and immersed it into the water. Once Yuuri got a good look at it, he realized that he knew what it was.

"Viktor, why do you have an aloe vera plant?"

Viktor clapped his hands together excitedly as his mouth formed that charming little heart-shaped smile Yuuri was beginning to love.

"Bravo, Yuuri! You guess right yet again! I realized that we didn't have any lubricant for tonight's…*activities…and knew that I had to get some. I couldn't very well have just burst into a pharmacy in the middle of the night in nothing but my bikini briefs, so I went to the desert in Kazakhstan earlier to pick one up. There was no one around there to notice a half-naked vampire shopping for some aloe."

Yuuri's jaw nearly hit the ground at Viktor's admission.So that's where the sand came from.He really shouldn't be surprised anymore by the things that came out of that man's mouth, but it was still shocking to him how Viktor talked about his superhuman feats like one would talk about the weather. As Yuuri continued to gape at him, Viktor placed both hands in the bowl of water and swirled them around for a minute or so. Then he removed the aloe leaf and slit it open with one of his claws, exposing the clear inner leaf juice. He scooped it out with his free hand and dribbled some down the length of Yuuri's hardened flesh.

Yuuri watched, transfixed, as the pleasantly warm liquid glistened and slid along his cock before dribbling down the sides. When Viktor's heated hand closed around it and began stroking him, he threw his head back, mouth hanging open in a silent scream. The slick wetness of the aloe allowed Viktor's hand to slide smoothly along his flesh and was wreaking havoc on his senses.

As Viktor picked up the pace, small whimpers began sneaking their way past Yuuri's lips, quickly building up into moans, cries and then sobs. The room filled with the wet sounds of flesh sliding against flesh, and Yuuri began to feel the familiar coiling in the pit of his stomach.

Viktor seemed to pick up on this and slowed things down a bit, taking the time to rub his thumb along Yuuri's slit, trace the outline of his veins and the ridge along his tip. Viktor's hand was also slick with aloe and he mercilessly twisted and squeezed Yuuri's cock with each stroke. Soon, Yuuri found himself on the edge once more and not even another deliberate slowing of pace could stop him from cumming. Thick ribbons of cum erupted from him, splashing down on his stomach and hitting as high as his chest. Utterly spent, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his vision went black.

As he regained consciousness, Yuuri felt all warm and cozy, like he was wrapped in a snug little cocoon of comfort. When he opened his eyes, he immediately realized that he was in a sitting position on Viktor's lap. After looking down, he saw that he was swaddled tightly in a fuzzy fleece blanket, pulled firmly against the man's chest.

"Oh good, you're awake. How do you feel?"

Yuuri yawned loudly, turning his head into his shoulder to stifle it as he didn't have his hands free to cover his mouth. He smacked his lips a few times, basking contentedly in the feeling of pleasant safety. He turned to face Viktor once more, gazing lovingly into the man's cerulean eyes.

"Mhhmm, feels good. Nice and warm."

Viktor lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against Yuuri's, teasing the young man with the promise of a kiss, but pulling away from him whenever he tried to deepen it. After a few rounds of this, Yuuri growled loudly in frustration, and Viktor had to chuckle at his impatience. When he dipped back down, he made sure to kiss Yuuri deeply and deliberately, working the youngling until he was reduced to an incoherent puddle of goo in his arms. While Yuuri was being distracted, he slipped a hand under the blanket and made a beeline for the young man's nipples. Yuuri gasped at the contact, and Viktor took the opportunity to slip his tongue in. Yuuri moaned sweetly into his mouth, whimpering wantonly every time he gave a nipple a pinch.

Not surprisingly, it wasn't long before Yuuri was hardening once more, his seemingly insatiable stamina demanding another sexual tribute.

Viktor removed Yuuri from his lap and lay him down on his back, lifting the blanket until his lower body was exposed, but keeping his upper body wrapped up. He eyed his handiwork critically, satisfied that Yuuri would not be able to use his hands and was properly contained in a human burrito.

"Viktor, I'm not cold. Please help me get out of this."

Viktor shook his head as he stared down at the semi-helpless young man. His eyes looked predatory and ravenous, and Yuuri once again felt like prey. He was wrapped up like a defenseless insect caught up in a spider's web.

"No."

Yuuri gulped as he saw Viktor reach for more aloe, turning his brain upside down as he tried to figure out what the vampire was up to. He didn't have to wait very long to find out, however, for Viktor cupped his testicles and lifted them with one hand and then dribbled warm aloe over them with the other. He felt the aloe slide off his sac and then down past the perineum before pooling between his ass cheeks. He knew exactly where things would be going next, and felt a wave of sudden panic as everything he'd ever heard about anal sex came rushing back to him.Painful. Bloody. Can't walk for days. Permanent damage...It's not that he didn't trust Viktor...he did, but he unknown was a powerfully frightening thing.

"Viktor, I'm a..."

Viktor made gentle and soothing shushing noises as he spread the aloe around and dipped his fingers down toward Yuuri's cleft.

"I'm well aware that you haven't done anything like this before. There are certain preparations that need to be made and I have no intention of making your first time a bad time. I will take care of you and am willing to spend as long as it takes getting you there."

Yuuri immediately relaxed, releasing the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. He felt safe in Viktor's presence and just had this unshakable conviction that Viktor would never intentionally bring him harm. He concentrated on slowing down his breathing as he willed himself to calm down. His heart rate eventually returned to normal, and a hush fell over the room.

"That was wonderful, Yuuri. I'm deeply honored by your trust in me. I won't let you down."

Viktor reached down and placed a hand on each of Yuuri's thighs, applying gentle pressure until the young man's legs were spread open for him. Yuuri's cheeks colored slightly at being in such a prone and highly embarrassing position. Viktor could seeeverythingfrom that angle, and he squirmed at being physically unable to restore his modesty.

"Every single inch of your body is beautiful to me Yuuri, and there is no need to be ashamed of showing that beauty off to me. I want it all."

Viktor dipped his fingers in the aloe and then ran them up and down Yuuri's perineum, slowly applying more pressure with each stroke. Yuuri lay there on his back, trying to make sense of the new sensations taking over his body. He had touched himself countless times before, but had never paid any attention to anything in the area Viktor was currently working. It was different, but not at all unpleasant. When a finger brushed up against his puckered orifice, however, he inadvertently jerked in surprise.

"Did that hurt, Yuuri?"

"N-no...just...different."

Viktor nodded, relieved that he hadn't actually hurt Yuuri. He was being very careful to keep his strength in check and be as gentle as possible.

"I'm going to make you feel good now, Yuuri."

Viktor began gently rubbing concentric circles on Yuuri's hole, watching the young man's face carefully for any signs of discomfort or pain. He used his other hand to stroke Yuuri's stomach and thighs, periodically skirting the edges of his hardened flesh. Yuuri's body started to heat up again as the new sensations began to register as pleasure. He didn't know...didn't expect that it couldfeel this good.

Viktor carried on this way for a few minutes, experimenting with different speeds and patters, until he felt that Yuuri had become comfortable. He then slowly pushed a finger in, stopping in his tracks when Yuuri clenched forcefully around it, giving him time to adjust. He repeated the process until he was able to slide a second finger in and properly search for the prostate.

Yuuri was feeling exceptionally good for someone who was having such a unique first experience. It was hard to describe how it made him feel exactly. It felt good,but it wasn't earth-shattering like some of the other things Viktor had previously done to him. He knew that Viktor had two fingers inside him and that it was part of the preparation process, so just decided to take what he could from it. His thought process was abruptly, and violently interrupted as Viktor seemed to touch something magical inside him. He felt a red-hot pang of pleasure so intense that it made his legs go temporarily numb. His scream filled the room and he thrashed wildly on the bed, fighting vigorously against the restraining blanket.

"A-a-ahhhh! What...ngh...was...THAT?!"

Viktor pulled back a bit and paused his actions, waiting for Yuuri to come back down to Earth.

"That, dear Yuuri, was your prostate. It's the male equivalent of the G-spot, and as you just found out, the best part of havinganythingup your ass."

Yuuri was a hot mess. He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving with effort. Beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead slid down and off his face, their cooling tracks providing him with brief respite from the heat his body was feeling. Once his heart had stopped hammering away in his chest, only one thought came to mind.

"More."

Viktor smiled, an act that always highlighted how devilishly handsome he was. He dipped his head in Yuuri's direction, more than happy to oblige.

"As you wish, dearest Yuuri."

Viktor resumed his torturous assault, stroking Yuuri deeply from within, stretching him and rewarding him periodically with pressure to his prostate. The young man's eyes glazed over with bliss, and precum flowed freely from his rock-hard cock. Viktor checked Yuuri's readiness one last time, and determined that he was finally ready. He pulled his three fingers out from Yuuri, wiping them clean on a nearby towel. He then unwrapped Yuuri's blanket, finally freeing him from his restraints. The young one's body was slick with sweat, its sheen glistening enticingly in the firelight. The room filled with Yuuri's scent and the beast within basked in the heady aroma. He reached for aloe, rubbing copious amounts of it on his cock before dribbling a large amount onto Yuuri as well.

"Yuuri, I'm going to make love to you now."

Viktor grabbed Yuuri's hips with both hands and pulled the young one toward him until he was kneeling comfortably between his legs.

"Darling, look at me."

Yuuri's eyes sharpened and cleared, his instincts unable to ignore the command in Viktor's voice. Mahogany-brown eyes met sea-blue ones, their gazes locking intimately. Viktor took his cock in hand and lined it up with Yuuri's entrance, nosing the head in gently until it pushed past the first ring of muscle. Yuuri cried out as his body clenched tightly around the intrusion, his hands flying up to claw at Vktor's broad shoulders. Viktor groaned, Yuuri's deliciously heated tightness sending out concentric waves of pleasure through his body, and he could hardly wait to get more of it.

He slowly pushed forward again, slipping past the second ring. Yuuri's fingers clenched more tightly at Viktor's shoulders as his muscles bore down on the man's cock once more. He felt a slight stinging sensation as his body stretched to accommodate Viktor's impressive length, but found it to not be as painful as he had been expecting.

Viktor, meanwhile, was valiantly fighting the urge to just bury himself to the hilt in Yuuri's heat. He forced himself to push forward slowly, inch by inch until he was fully inside. He paused and waited, body trembling with the effort to stay still until he got the go-ahead to continue.

Yuuri was feeling...for lack of any other word...full. He could feel Viktor inside him, his body roiling with spasms and constricting around the intrusion. Once he felt the convulsions stop, he tentatively wiggled his hips and pushed forward, surprised when Viktor was the one who cried out. He repeated the action, thrusting forward with more force the second time around. Viktor cried out again, louder this time., and then bent down until his face was buried in the crook of Yuuri's neck.

"мой Бог Yuuri, you feel more amazing than I ever imagined."

Yuuri opened his mouth to say something, but every single rational thought flew out of his mind when Viktor snapped his hips forward, pushing even deeper inside him. His mouth hung open, frozen soundlessly as his senses nearly short-circuited from the sensations. He lifted his legs to wrap them around Viktor's waist, trying to bring the man even closer to him. Viktor carried on thrusting inside him and after adjusting the angle of his hips, was able to find Yuuri's prostrate once more. The young one cried out and held on tight as the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh permeated the room. Viktor picked up the pace once more and Yuuri started feeling the telltale signs of orgasm building up with him once more. He made a decision just then, and turned his head to the side, baring his throat to the vampire before him.

"Bite me. Drink from me, please!"

At the sight of such an offering, Viktor's fangs elongated rapidly, reaching their full length in a split second. His eyes turned a brilliant shade of red Yuuri had not yet seen, and he was hopelessly enthralled just by looking at the them. Viktor leaned in, closing the gap between them, and then lovingly licked the spot he intended to bite. Yuuri's whole body shuddered, his moans going straight to Viktor's cock and hardening it further. He bit down, his fangs slowly sinking into Yuuri's flesh, the act causing delicious blood to spring forth into his mouth. He closed his lips around the wound and drank.

Yuuri cried out the second he felt Viktor's fangs break the skin. There was a momentary sting of pain, and then it was only euphoria and rapture he felt after that. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt himself orgasm, his body twitching with each spurt. It didn't register as clearly as it should, as his every thought, sensation and feeling was currently eclipsed by what it was like having Viktor drink from him. His vision blurred after a few moments and he blissfully drifted into unconsciousness.

Yuuri was trying to sleep, but something kept shaking and squeezing him. He was feeling rather disgruntled at being disturbed, he'd been in such a happy and dreamless sleep. He grumbled loudly in Japanese in an attempt to reason with his tormentor, but the harassment did not stop.

"Yuuri, god please...open your eyes. Yuuri...please."

That voice...Viktor? He sounds so scared. I wonder what happened.Yuuri tried to open his eyes to look at Viktor, but his lids felt so heavy. He struggled for a few moments, but was then finally able to open them just enough to see Viktor's face staring worriedly back at him.

"Hmm?"

Viktor squeezed Yuuri tightly, burying his face in the young one's hair.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake. Блядь, I was so scared that I'd taken too much from you again."

Yuuri tried to blink so he could get his eyes to focus properly on Viktor's face, but once his eyes closed, they wouldn't open again. Exhaustion took over and he drifted off to sleep once. When he next came to, Viktor had a bowl of soup with him and was trying to get Yuuri to eat. But Yuuri was still too weak, and although he was able to open his mouth, he didn't have the strength to chew or swallow, so the soup just dribbled out.

Viktor was panicking. Although he thought he'd managed to stop himself from taking too much blood from Yuuri, he'd lost himself to bloodlust once more and ended up taking more than he'd intended. Yuuri had pretty much been in a coma for half a day, and didn't show any signs of coming back around. His inability to eat was the last straw for him, and he decided to take matters into his own hands. He sliced his own lip on one of his fangs and dipped his head down to capture Yuuri's lips in a kiss. The young man seemed to come alive once the taste of Viktor's blood hit his tongue, and he greedily lapped at meager offering. After a few minutes had passed, Viktor could sense that Yuuri's strength was returning and his heartbeat was getting stronger and louder. He pulled away from the young man, satisfied that things were going to be ok. Yuuri chased after him, trying to get another taste of his blood, and he had to will him to rest once more.

While Yuuri slept, he made up his mind. He got up and went to his study, unlocking a secret drawer and retrieving the ornate cedar box from within. He then went back to his room and waited.

_terminology_

ОБоже – dear/oh God

*2-aloe vera is actually a perfect natural lubricant. It smells quite nice, fully organic and you'll be super extra soft after. #WINNING.

мой Бог - my God.

Блядь - fuck

Google docs with pictures and extra info: https/docs./document/d/1AL4dRAVMc3x5vMJUDunhNLHHDnZFLGX300f7vE8GNCs/edit?usp=sharing


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